Moving true story about death, life and Down’s Syndrome to hit Corby

The members of a weekly adult social care service star in an original, heartfelt comedy exploring grief from the perspective of a young woman with Down’s Syndrome.

You Know My Mum tells the true story of Alex, an actor with Down’s Syndrome who plays herself in the lead role. Alex immerses audiences in her wild imagination, with vivid sequences and profound realisations about the world around her as she deals with the death of her mother.

The disabled-led cast and crew are from Coventry-based Ego Arts, which has championed inclusivity in the arts for almost 20 years.

Funding worth £160,000 from Arts Council England has helped raise the show’s production values by bringing in experts in access, captioning, lighting and design.

The show, which promises plenty of comedic moments and exciting visuals, aims to prove disabled theatre is as capable of captivating audiences as mainstream productions.

Ego’s co-artistic director Georgina Egan said: “We want our audiences to come and see a fantastic show - and the fact that the actors have learning disabilities is neither here nor there.

“You Know My Mum has developed from Alex’s desire to tell her personal story into a fully-fledged show, with extremely high production values, starring and created by our incredible members. We cannot wait to share this incredible project with audiences across the country.”

The show begins with the outlandish story of Bluey, a newly-hatched blue tit who can’t wait to fly the nest and protect her home from the humans who threaten it.

Using video design and creative captioning, the imaginative world of Bluey transforms into the real world of Alex’s bedroom, as a young Alex learns that even though her mum has died, her love is still all around her.

The performance, which includes surreal, imaginative sequences as well as heartfelt moments, draws on the experiences of cast members from Ego’s Creative Academy, which offers theatre training to learning disabled and/or neurodivergent adults.

The show comes to The Core at Corby Cube on May 6. Visit thecorecorby.com or call 01536 470470 to book.