★★★★
“I’m a vibes-based autistic”, warns Cerys Bradley at the top of their new work-in-progress show, On Road Signs. And whilst you perhaps shouldn’t expect a slew of accurately remembered facts, you can expect impeccable vibes. The show is a deep dive into the world of road signage, from the autistic online communities documenting them, to the under-recognised artists designing them and Bradley’s own love of the welly boots unique to England’s “men at work” sign.
Bradley’s comic instincts (and unwavering commitment to the bit) are on display from the start. They enter in a DIY head-to-toe traffic light costume, broken only by an incongruous pair of mustard corduroy shorts. “I put my foot through the bottom of the black suit when I first put it on,” they explain.
The show feels like watching an autistic Natalie Haynes. It has that perfect blend of passion, academic rigour, and effortlessly witty humour that characterises Haynes’ hit Radio 4 series on classical antiquity, with the extra zhuzh of hyperfixation. Bradley effortlessly shifts between genuinely interesting facts, laugh-out-loud quips, and earnestly convincing appeals for recognition of the lasting legacy pioneering road signage designers have on our landscapes.
There are some longer spells without a laugh that might be tightened up in the finalised show, alongside the understandably rough edges that come with a WIP. This can’t be held against the show, and the early version is a convincing proof of concept for next year’s finished piece. I look forward to returning to see it.
