‘Why wouldn’t they hate you? You hate you.’
Edinburgh resident Nicole Nadler returns with a sequel to her successful 2023 show, offering more frank and funny insights into neurodivergence.
Continuing her account of living with ADHD, it blends high-speed trains of thought and exchanges with her therapist, ex and her inner voice in the mirror to shed light on the everyday struggles she faces. From being overly talkative to missing trains and losing jobs, the effects of ADHD seep into every aspect of life. I found the mirror conversations very powerful as Nicole gradually lets compassion in and reframes her condition as a disability, and not ‘laziness’ or ‘attention seeking’. There are aspects to ADHD that aren’t fully appreciated that Nicole expands on, such as the so-called ‘ADHD tax’ – the amount of money lost due to symptoms, such as forgetting appointments for expensive paperwork, or spending too much on groceries. It’s much more than being temporarily distracted!
Why Am I (Still) Like This is intensely acted; the difficulty of removing decades of self-loathing and refusing to listen to the ‘voice of reason’ is clear to see. Nicole is a charismatic performer and her authenticity shines through – especially when she forgets her lines at one point! And although she struggles with the success of the 2023 show, it’s undoubtedly helped many to either realise they may have symptoms of ADHD, or to better understand friends and family who have the condition.
Funny and affecting in turn, this is a must-see.
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Why Am I (Still) Like This? is at theSpace Surgeons Hall and online on demand from 14-24 Aug