{extravote 5} Give Me A Reason To Live is a beautiful and harrowing exploration of Claire Cunningham's physical limits and a tribute to the disabled victims of Germany under the Nazis and of the UK under the Tories. 

From the start of the show, Claire Cunningham visibly forces her body to its limits and beyond, sharing her struggle with the audience. She starts the show facing away from the audience so we can focus on her laboured movement and the toll it takes on her. Her crutches often feature in her choreography, and in this piece, she explores how her crutches can both assist and hinder her movement. 

Every movement is considered and has meaning, and Claire Cunningham uses repetitive movement to test how far she can push herself, getting frustrated at her physical limits, for example when even simply breathing can be a challenge. 

Give a Me A Reason To Live is painful and challenging to watch, and so very beautiful in its starkness. It's a stunning show, with images which will stay with you for long afterwards. 

Photo copyright Ben Nienhuis