Bradley, a self-described “vibes-based autistic”, is putting together a magnificent show on the history of road signs. I say putting together, because this is clearly still a work in progress, with minor things like timings, learning bits of the script, and figuring out exactly how many facts to stick in still to be fully honed and decided.
It doesn’t matter, though, because this show is already perfectly imperfect, with its gentle audience participation, interesting nuggets, and shared, collective love. I also mislead you, the reader, because this isn’t actually about road signs. Well, it is. But it’s also about the joy of obsession, the relentlessness of everyday life, and what happens when you can’t access your Thursday reward sandwich.
The show takes place in the thematically perfect environs of Brighton’s Toy & Model Museum, sat beneath Brighton station. Surrounded by dolls, meccano, and model trains, Bradley unfurls a potted (not potholed) history amid the fruits of other people’s loving urge for categorisation.
There’s a lovely, beautifully written bit early on where Bradley compares jokes to facts, and how they’re more similar than you might think. Dressed – obviously, why do I even need to tell you this – as a sign for the majority of the show, Bradley talks about differing approaches to road signs in Europe, America, and in southern African countries; notes the sexiness of the Spanish version of the Road Works traffic sign, and delights at many different, regionally-specific, sign-based hats.
There are delightful signs, hand-drawn by Bradley themselves. There are clever jokes and surprising revelations. There are props, some of which rebel; It doesn’t matter in the slightest.
This is a gleeful, neurodiverse crowd, enjoying a show full of interesting things and shout-outs to wonderful people – like one of my own personal favourite typographers, Margaret Calvert, whom you should write to immediately and thank for her motorway and airport signage in particular (she’s 89!).
I don’t drive, but if I did, I would immediately be embarking on a road trip around Britain to look at all the signs I’ve just learned about, and to tell everyone in the country to go see Cerys Bradley perform at their earliest possible convenience.
Reviewed on 8th May
