In December 2024 we began a drama project with our members to devise and produce work inspired by their experiences of life after brain injury.
Led by theatre maker Tiiu Mortley – who has lived experience of brain injury and will be supporting members to put their ideas and ambitions into practice – our members have been learning professional skills in performance through a series of 10 workshops at our centre on Tuesdays.
The project will culminate in an informal performance at Chats Palace on 6th March, as well as a follow-up sharing at a Headway EATS at our centre.
The performance is called This Is Not A Performance…This Is Us! and it’s going to be marvellous!
The focus of this project is on skills learning, so that members are inspired to continue creating once the project has ended, and to take the techniques they’ve learned into their lives to help with the day-to-day challenges of living with disability. The performance will also show a different side of them to family, friends and the public, centring them as the ‘experts’ in their own brain injury.
After a previous drama project called Thank You For Reminding Me, which was funded by the Arts Council’s Let’s Create fund and culminated in a performance at the Barbican in July 2022, members have been asking for more drama ever since; and we hope this project can build the case for drama to become part of our permanent service offer.
Making theatre can provide an effective tool for exploring difficult subjects, whilst having a great time and knowing that by telling your story, you can help others in the wider community by increasing visibility of brain injury.
We caught up with Tiiu to hear her thoughts on the project so far:
What do you like the most about the theatre project?
“For me, theatre has always been about telling new stories and the members have been so generous with theirs in our sessions. They have thrown themselves in at the deep end with no arm bands! I’m just blown away by the number of songs, poems, signed songs and creative feedback coming in week on week.
I’m also really enjoying challenging the group’s perceptions on what they are able to achieve. Many have said, “Oh I’m not an actor/ performer” or “I can’t do that”, only to then get up and blow us all away with some amazing mask improvisation! Helping them to see that they have everything they need to make great work is really rewarding.”
What does a typical session look like?
“We start with a check-in and a warm-up game, then some tasks to help us unlock their stories and generate material.
Sessions are only 1 hour, so we have a huge task, to create a show from scratch in 10 hours! That’s not even counting the tea and coffee delays, but I have faith that with the support of the Headway team and my amazing Creative Access Support Worker, Maristella, that we’ll get there.”
How have the members responded so far?
“This is the second theatre project I have been part of at Headway. In 2022 we made a piece called Thank You For Reminding Me with different members, which was performed at the Barbican.
As it is an entirely new group, there is a lot of throwing ideas at the canvas and seeing what sticks. Some members are old hats at acting and performing, but for many, this is a brand-new adventure. The challenge for me is finding the balance to challenge those more comfortable with making work, whilst still including those who are new.
One thing I’m certain of is that Headway members will always try and try again. The passion and commitment to telling their stories never falters. I am incredibly grateful that they are trusting me to support them through this.”
Why do you think it’s important for people living with brain injury to access theatre projects like this one?
“I feel that it is vital for brain injury survivors to access theatre projects.
As a brain injury survivor myself, theatre was paramount to my recovery. Using it as a method to tell our stories, as a form of processing our injury and ‘new’ brain is vital.
There is a lot of shame around disability and brain injury. Being seen on stage, showing ourselves in all our glory is so important for us and for audiences. We are here, in your communities: See us, really See us! We’re not invisible!
And that’s really the tip of the iceberg – if we really think about it, performing can help with memory and recall, self-confidence and pride, and let’s not forget that theatre is great for wellbeing.”
Thanks for that wonderful insight Tiiu!
We can’t wait to see the final show at Chats Palace on 6th March – book your ticket now!
About
Tiiu Mortley is a freelance theatre-performer, manager and facilitator with 15+ years’ experience working with marginalized communities; she is also a brain injury survivor.
Hackney-based with strong disability-led theatre contacts, she has volunteered with us and was Assistant Director for our 2021 drama project, Thank You For Reminding Me.
Passionate in supporting disabled creatives, Tiiu has worked with Graeae – an international leader and innovator in accessible, world-class theatre – for 10+ years, advocating for voices often disqualified from wider conversation.
This project is funded by Cultural Hackney – a Hackney Council initiative reflecting and celebrating the borough’s rich diversity and heritage through its communities.
