Paralysed dancer’s joy at stage role

Nick Phillips, 38, broke his back in a fall from the third floor while at a party more than 14 years ago.

He had all but given up hope of performing again, but Mr Phillips, of Hafod, Swansea, has spoken of his joy after landing a part in a provocative new play.

In Water I’m Weightless has been billed as the first major production to feature an all-disabled cast and its creator says she hopes its provocative stories will challenge perceptions of what it means to have a disability.

For Mr Phillips it has been a joyous experience.

He said: “For so long after my accident I couldn’t even bear to go and watch a play or performance.

“Just watching theatre or dance triggered too much unhappiness.

“Being a dancer who was paralysed, it felt like being a painter without any paintbrushes.”

Penned by award-winning writer Kaite O’Reilly, In Water I’m Weightless features a series of monologues from disabled characters about their complicated relationships.

It was commissioned for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Unlimited, which celebrates the diversity of life in Britain.