13 Plays About ADHD All at the Same Time, produced by Circlesnake Productions at the Assembly Theatre, offers a creative, insightful – and flat-out funny – exploration of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Created and directed by Alec Toller (who won a Dora Award for Best Ensemble in the Independent Theatre Division with Sex T-Rex’s Swordplay), the show uses an inventive format to reflect the complexity and chaos often associated with ADHD—13 different plays unfolding simultaneously. The production is framed as a seminar on ADHD, led by Sharjil Rasool and Danny Pagett, who bring extensive comedic experience to the roles. Pagett’s late arrival sets the stage, acknowledging the challenges of organization and time management that people with ADHD often face.
At the heart of this 75-minute comedy is its unique approach to storytelling. The multiple, overlapping plays mirror the mental experience of ADHD, where various thoughts and ideas compete for attention. As Toller himself has noted, the production is designed to “simulate the experience of ADHD”– which makes for an immersive, often frenetic experience that is delightfully overwhelming. The production integrates various genres and formats, with Rasool and Pagett’s characters vying for control of the show, while the rest of the cast disrupts, derails, and adds to the chaos – in keeping with the alternately intense and fragmented thought process characteristic of ADHD. The different cast members’ interruptions and competing narratives (A dramatic monologue! A pirate epic! Business speak!) echo thought patterns typical of the condition, adding depth to the high-octane hilarity on display.
The cast, which also boasts talents like Chloe Sullivan and Second City Mainstage veterans Jillian Welsh and Jon Blair, brings energy and wit to the performance. Many of the actors, including the director, have ADHD themselves, which layers authenticity into the production. Toller, who is also a therapist, discovered his own ADHD while reading through a treatment manual for a client with ADHD. He draws directly on his personal experience both to poke fun at himself and to shape the show’s approach to the comedic and serious sides of the condition. In weaker hands, it might not have worked at all. Here, the result is a breathlessly intense sketch show that is also a platform for raising awareness, challenging societal assumptions and misconceptions, and encouraging a more nuanced understanding of neurodiversity.
Improv and audience participation are also key aspects of the production, particularly through segments like “The Shame Pit,” where audience members are invited to contribute their own embarrassing stories of ADHD-caused or ADHD-like commitments forgotten and unfulfilled – and Pagett and Rasool then lead the audience in a comic act of absolution. This genuinely funny segment fosters a sense of community and catharsis, making the show feel as much a shared experience as a performance. And the closing musical number, written by Pagett, is the poignant, sweetly smiling end of a rollercoaster ride of emotions and actions (some completed…some only contemplated).
13 Plays About ADHD All at the Same Time is chock full of laughs and an entertaining exploration of ADHD. It highlights – and neatly exemplifies – the creativity-abetting chaos and the challenges of living with ADHD. And by combining humour, empathy, lived experience and talented all-in performances, the show offers a meaningful commentary on ADHD and mental health, while celebrating the range of experiences that accompany neurodiversity. Here’s hoping that the show – sorry, these 13 shows in one – have a long life ahead of them.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine, 2024
