A SHOW that aims to entertain and to educate comes to Shelley Theatre in Boscombe on Saturday, October 12.

Pricks is a one-woman performance from Jade Byrne based on 30 years of living with Type 1 diabetes.

Jade said: “Pricks is now on its fourth UK tour, but everything started when I attended the Edinburgh Festival Fringe a few years ago. I was jotting down ideas for my show, whilst my blood sugar levels were low. The inspiration for the show was literally within me.

“The show represents something much wider than living with type 1 diabetes. It is all about family and learning to care for each other better.”

Jade says she wished she had this form of outlet to explore when she was younger that takes away a clinical approach.

“There are many myths that need to be dispelled when it comes to Type 1 diabetes. For instance, people have said to me, ‘you don’t look fat?’ This type of diabetes is not related to lifestyle.

“Your body attacks the cells in your pancreas that make insulin, so you can’t produce any insulin.

Only around 10 per cent of people with diabetes in the UK have Type 1. It’s an autoimmune disease.”

Whilst the emphasis on the show is to entertain audiences, Jade recognises the responsibility to share and drive awareness. “There are three things I want people to do when they come to the show.

I want them to laugh, I want them to cry and I want them to take something away with them that they may not have been aware of at the beginning of the evening. I’ll take everyone on a rollercoaster during the time we are together.”

Her show is on course for two more tours including visits across Europe and the United States.

“My goal is for this message to reach as far as I can. One theatre at a time.

“Audiences are made up of around 60 per cent of people who have some form of connection to type 1 diabetes and 40 per cent of people who are looking for a night out filled with fun.”

*To book, or for more information, see shelleytheatre.co.uk