‘We’re all the same underneath’

“MEET Fred,” a puppet theater co-produced by Hijinx and Blind Summit from the UK, is being staged at the Huangpu Theater. The three performers are autistic.

Fred, the protagonist, has no facial expression but loves to make friends.

He has a dirty mouth, yet he’s easily hurt. He fights prejudice every day. He just wants to be a regular guy, part of the real world, to get a job and meet a girl, but when threatened with losing his Puppetry Living Allowance, Fred’s life begins to spiral out of his control.

Fred is just like many of the people with special needs in the real world, fighting hard to be part of a “normal” society, yet always seen as an “outsider.” They are not giving up, yet yearning for more understanding from the ordinary.

Hijinx, a major producer of the theater, has devoted itself to helping the disadvantaged for years.

It is the only Welsh organization offering professional performance training to the special with obstacles in study and life. Hijinx provides courses like clown, mask, dance, physical theater and comics, with participation of special actors and actresses with special needs.

Some of those who have completed training have become professional performers touring the world, including the three performers for the theater in Shanghai.

For each ticket sold, a 10-yuan donation will be made to the special fund for the Shanghai Tongdarenben Children Care Development Center to help people with autism or Down syndrome.

Date: Through May 27, 7:30pm Tickets: 180-280 yuan

Tel: 400-185-8666

Venue: Shanghai Huangpu Theater Address: 780 Beijing Rd E.