Nadenh Poan, a Cambodian male wheelchair dancer caught in a gravity defying headstand. A haze of golden light spills around him as he throws his left arm forwards to the camera, balancing only on the side of his head and right arm, his lightweight black manual chair lifted above him. He wears a light gold satin corset with braces that he stretches and extends away from him, wrapping one around his extended left arm. Photography by Chris Parkes.
Feel dance differently
The manifestation of Stopgap’s twenty-year history is shared in the ‘quietly revolutionary’ work of Lived Fiction. A timely intervention that can shape the future of contemporary dance.
The sensual choreography is given new meaning with evocative audio description, exquisite projection art and creative captioning. Expect masterful performances from Disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled creatives in a show where access and care have been built into the bones of a truly original production.
We invite you to experience dance from multiple perspectives and share in a future that is rich with the enterprise, potential, and power of diversity.
What to expect
Access Artist Lily Norton shares more about what to expect when coming to watch Lived Fiction, including information about accessibility and integrated creative audio description and captions.
Audio Introduction
Creative Access
Stopgap have been the exemplar of diversity and inclusion on stage for two decades, but a global leader of inclusive dance has to do more than showcase Disabled talent. It is time for us to level up and make dance accessible to the widest possible range of audiences.
We want the performers and the audience to gain a shared-experience of an inclusive world and revel in the joy of different people cohabiting the theatre space.
Lived Fiction aims to do this through intertwining audio description, captioning and projection art with world-class choreography, within the context of a relaxed performance.
Production images
Dancers Mo and Christian during a duet. Photography by Chris Parkes
Dancers Emily and Nadenh during a duet. Emily, a non-disabled east asian woman lays on her back and calmly embraces Nadenh, a wheelchair dancer, lifting him and supporting his back as he balances in a headstand. Photography by Chris Parkes.
An intimate close up of dancers Hannah and Jannick embracing. Photography by Chris Parkes
Nadenh Poan, a Cambodian male wheelchair dancer caught in a gravity defying headstand. Photography by Chris Parkes.
Christian, a white non-disabled standing dancer, in a wide lunge, silhouetted as he drapes his shirt over his face. Photography by Chris Parkes.
Jannick, a white standing dancer caught mid-jump, his upper body arching as if pulled upwards by his chest. Photography by Chris Parkes.
A blur of action around Nadenh as he lays on his back and floats his arms, lower body and manual wheelchair off of the floor. Other dancers echo his shape, the long exposure of the shot creating blurs as they move. Photography by Chris Parkes.
Hannah and Jannick in a duet. Photography by Chris Parkes.
Awards and accolades
- One Dance UK 2024 – Artistic Innovation – winner
- The Guardian – Best dance 0f 2024 – top 10
- Sky Arts 2025 – Dance – nominee
- UK Theatre Awards 2025 – Achievement in Dance – nominee
Credits
Lived Fiction was devised and written with Stopgap’s Deaf, Disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled creatives. The process was conceived and facilitated by Stopgap’s Co-Artistic Director Lucy Bennett.
Christian Brinklow, Monique Dior Jarrett, Emily Lue-Fong, Jannick Moth, Lily Norton (Audio Describer), Nadenh Poan, Hannah Sampson and Dan Watson (Voice of DAN)
Cast and Creatives
Lucy Bennett
Director & Co-Writer
Lily Norton
Access Artist & Co-Writer
Amy Butler
Rehearsal Director
Dougie Evans
Composer & Sound Designer
Ben Glover
Digital Artist & Creative Captions
Jackie Shemesh
Lighting Design
Ryan Dawson Laight
Costume Design
Colin Holden
Props Designer and Builder
Lauren Trim, Mignon Riggs
Access Guides
Ethan Duffy
Production & Stage Manager
Stella Kailides
Technical Stage Manager
Emma Henderson
Production Manager
Francois Langton
Technical Manager
Joe Hornsby
Lighting Associate
Rosie Whiting
Costume Associate
James Greenhalgh
Project Manager
Abbie Thompson, Laurel Flatley
Access Workers
Sho Shibata & Lucy Glover
Executive Producers
Feedback and Focus Group Support for Creative Access
Kelsie Acton (Battersea Arts Centre), Angela Bettoni, Lucy Clark, Martin Glover, Andrew Loretto, Anne McCarthy, Lesta Woo, Sofia Young-Santamaria, Ada Eravama
Supporters
Lived Fiction was developed as part of the research project “DANCING: Protecting the Right to Culture of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancing Cultural Diversity through European Union Law: Exploring New Paths” led by Delia Ferri, Professor of Law at Maynooth University, Ireland. The project received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme (grant agreement number 864182).
Lived Fiction was created with additional support from:
Arts Council England, DanceEast, Dance Ireland, Leche Trust, The Point – Eastleigh, University of Surrey.
Additional Thanks
Delia Ferri and Ann Leahy for managing the research and feedback for creative access
Battersea Arts Centre for in-kind support of making Kelsie available to us
Maria Oshodi for giving us an insight into creative access
Katye Coe and Thomas Goodwin for the springboard workshop during the creation process
KJ Mortimer and Alice Shepperson for leading classes during the creation process
