Rosetta Life has announced the autumn tour of Learn From Us, a new disability dance theatre production created with and performed by people living with brain injury. The tour will visit Gloucester, Reading and London between October and December, following earlier performances in Cumbria, Kent and Derry/Londonderry.
Combining music, movement and video projections, Learn From Us tells the story of a mother and son navigating the aftermath of a life-altering illness. Exploring themes of independence, recovery and care, the production highlights different perspectives on living with brain injury while encouraging audiences to reflect on resilience, support and community.
The cast features professional singer Melanie Pappenheim, dancer Elvie Rose Christiansen Head, and Brain Odysseys ambassadors Jen Chandler and James Heather. The production also incorporates filmed contributions from artists around the world, offering diverse perspectives on coping with trauma and rebuilding lives.
Music for the production is composed by Jules Maxwell, with lyrics created by participants living with brain injury.
The London performance on 1 December will be presented as part of a double bill alongside a new devised community performance from Headway London, featuring original music by Ivor Novello Award-winning composer and sound designer Sarah Angliss.
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This year marks the 25th anniversary of Rosetta Life, the arts in health charity behind the production. The organisation works across community and NHS settings, supporting people affected by brain injury through creative practice and performance.
Alongside the performances, the tour will engage local communities, artists and healthcare professionals through workshops, training opportunities and discussions exploring the role of arts and health programmes in supporting recovery and wellbeing.
Creative Director of Rosetta Life Lucinda Jarrett said, “This ambitious work of dance theatre tells the remarkable story of five people who are grateful for the perspective their brain injury has given them, and now want to offer the wider world a chance to see the world through their eyes. Telling the story of the complex relationship between those who are affected by a brain injury and those who care for them, Learn from Us tells the story of people who brave independent lives despite devastating head injuries. This touring theatre work is designed to seed arts and health practices across the country, and will demonstrate how arts and health practices can help us build supportive communities and find solutions for the critical, underfunded and oversubscribed health and social care crises we face.”
The 50-minute production is suitable for audiences aged 16+ and continues touring until 1 December.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
