The Man Who Couldn't Dance

DIRECTOR’S NOTES - Barry Prescott

“This is a story about one man’s crazy scheme to achieve his dreams.  The Man Who Couldn’t Dance is an irreverent fusion of black comedy with the more slapstick elements of visual comedy.  The story sets up a potentially dangerous premise- a comedy about a man with no legs, an amputee. As such it may be thought that audiences may feel too uncomfortable to laugh for fear of being non-politically correct. But this story is not a piss-take of amputees, rather an empowerment of anyone who has ever dared to dream.

The idea is unashamedly absurd, but not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable. Disabled people use gadgets and specially designed tools daily to enable them to do things that able-bodied people take for granted. Ever tried to peel a potato without hands? Pour a cup of tea without being able to see? Write a piece of music without being able to hear? All these are possible.  All of these realities for many.  I am particularly interested in the kind of storytelling where fantasy and reality can cross paths at a moment’s notice. For a brief period of time the cinema screen becomes somebody else’s imagination and you have been invited to look around. In this way, the best films exude a charm that is similar to a good bedtime story – intimate yet accessible and enjoyable on a number of levels.  This is what I wanted to achieve with this film.

I think Joe has done a fantastic job. He was cast because he is the only double leg amputee in the country under 65 and so much of the film rides on his performance. He delivers an excellent debut.”