Art
I make sci-fi/fact art - with integrated creative access - through the lens of my lived experience being a disabled, queer, working class human.
Space Chronic-ills
Am I a failure or am I being failed?
Space Chronic-ills (WIP) in its Phase 1 work-in-progress form is a 14-minute contemporary theatre piece, focusing on text, sound design, integrated audio description and movement.
At performances, there were calm spaces, soft seating and relaxed presentation, as well as live captioning, BSL interpretation from Cheryl Walker at Wigan Pier and creative captioning at Contact.
Micro-commissioned by the Collaborative Touring Network, Unlimited and The Old Courts, in association with Touretteshero.
After being knocked off course, a seemingly resolute commander and their overbearing virtual assistant work together to refocus their mission.
“Commander Ash Tronomy is a five-star, frakking fabulous, astro-inspirational, earthling…” Well, that’s how they want you to think of them.
Commander Ash Tronomy hides behind a facade of “everything is fine”, as many of us do. People who live with chronic illness, neurodiversity, mental health conditions and dynamic disabilities are often misunderstood by others - and sometimes by ourselves.
We continuously grapple with societal barriers - models of disability, identity politics, censorship of joy, fear of disclosure, internalised ableism, imposter syndrome, autonomy, illness narratives and the pressure to ‘get well’.
Sci-fi places humans under imaginary pressures using speculative fiction. Those with 'hidden' disabilities are often disbelieved or considered to be imagining things - “you don’t look sick” - so the Commander's interplanetary struggles are a way of making the invisible, visible. Sci-fi becomes sci-fact.
Jenny Gaskell
“FUNNY and charming"
Beth Westbrook
“It’s such a clear perfect analogy [...] I did have a little cry.”
Scottee
“So resonated with me!”
Meet the Phase 1 Space Chronic-ill’s Crew
Ash Cox
Writer, Performer, Producer, Creative Access Director
mandla
Voice Artist (AVA), Character Development Consultant
Hunter King
Voice Artist (Narrator)
Owain Kelly
Original Music and Sound Design
Chris Brown
Movement Consultant
Ginni Manning
Dramaturgy and Story Consultant
Rosa Wright
Creative Wellbeing Facilitator
Ellesy Art
Costume
Support Squad
Ben Crennell, Michael Cooper, Lesley Cox, Hunter Millington, Rose Sergent, Amy Whitby-Baker, Maximus Burton, Kate Fox, Quiplash: Amelia and Al Lander-Cavallo, New Adelphi Theatre: Mark Fox, Georgia Lynch, Charlotte Cropper, Red Brick Theatre: Oli Hurst, Tilly Philipson, Sarah Johnson, The Old Courts: Rosie Scudder and Lauren Banks, Collaborative Touring Network, Unlimited: Jo Verrent, Fi McGregor, Touretteshero: Jess Thom, Graeae: Laura Guthrie, Manishta Sunnia, Octagon Theatre: Tabitha-Rose Hughes, Jack Clearwater, Girl Gang: Caitlin Clough.
Binsincere
Am I a failure or am I being failed? It’s time to discard the facade.
A relaxed performance lecture, with captions and integrated audio description.
Binsincere interrogates themes my debut body of work Space Chronic-ills WIP, as part of my ongoing research and development. It explores time, vulnerability and ableism.
I try to make work that’s accessible for the audience, for you, but I left myself behind
I don’t tell you this because I want your pity
I tell you this because there’s an irony and hypocrisy
Have I Binsincere?
Or bin insincere?
Supported by Works Ahead: Radiator (2024) produced by hÅb; supported by Manchester Metropolitan University and using public funding by Arts Council England. Project Mentor: Peader Kirk.
Nasima Bee
“Thank you for your words, your vulnerability, honesty and humanness, such tender work"
Mike Cooper
"Fascinating piece of work, it really unpicked the artistic process and internalised ableism."
