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Following the success of Sadiq Ali Company’s debut show in 2023 the company return with their new show Tell Me, a captivating contemporary circus and dance show that reimagines the narrative around HIV in today’s world.
Combining breathtaking Chinese Pole performances on aerial cubes, the show creates a hypnotising visual spectacle as it follows the journey of a woman navigating her diagnosis.
Based on Sadiq’s lived experiences, Tell Me, confronts stigma and challenges outdated perceptions. The three-person cast of acclaimed circus, dance and theatre artists weaves poignant storytelling with inspiring physical artistry to offer a hopeful and empowering vision of living with HIV.
For more information and support on the issues explored in this piece, please visit the below websites:
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Positively UK - our charity partner on the show
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Terrence Higgins Trust
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Find Your Four
HAVE YOU EVER HELD A SECRET SO HEAVY IT FELT LIKE IT COULD BREAK THE WORLD?
I am humbled to welcome each of you to this performance of Tell Me; to invite you into a moment of collective journey and connection that only feels possible in spaces like these. Through circus I found a language for expressing things I never knew I needed to share, and with this new work l have tried to achieve something both deeply personal and socially resonant.
Without the modern advancements in medication, 2025 would have been the year I was expected to die from HIV/AIDS-related complications. That’s quite wild to think about. Instead, I present Tell Me: a new performance work telling the story of Grace as she receives a diagnosis, reflects on the past, and grapples with the shadows it casts upon the present.
We all know what it feels like to hold something that feels shameful, a secret we have been taught to hide. It is time to shine a light and affirm that every person’s worth is unconditional, regardless of diagnosis. From inside of queer communities it can be easy to forget about the continued ignorance, stigma and shame surrounding HIV. It's easy to forget that there continues to be a great deal of bigotry towards those with an HIV diagnosis. Despite medical advances, the shame that separates us from our bodies and the people we desire or love remains. But it’s not serving us. It never did. I believe circus has a distinct power for telling what is, ultimately, a story about extraordinary human bodies.
I love this space and what I have found here. The people I have the honour to work alongside not only bring me fulfilment and purpose; they are my lifeline. I extend a little bit of love and gratitude towards each of you for opening your hearts and minds with us. and hope that you enjoy this show. It has taken a lot of lives lived, loved and lost to be at this point together, a
fork in the road - it feels like where past and present collide and leaves me with the questions: What have we learned and where do we go from here? Until then though join me in this present moment, the only true moment we ever have together.
Sadiq X
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
Performed and devised by
Sadiq Ali
Phoebe Knight
Jonah Russell
Artistic Director – Sadiq Ali
Dramaturg – Rishi Trikha
Production Manager – Bryn Jones
Company Stage Manager – Carina Simões
Sound Design – Guy Veale
Lighting Design – Jamie Heseltine
Scenography and Costume Design – Aslı Özüak
Choreography Consultants – Jonathan Lunn, Junior Cunningham
Associate Director – Hauk Pattison
Equipment & Rigging Consultancy – Alex Harvey for Ockham’s Razor, Hauk Pattison
Produced by Turtle Key Arts
Research and development contributions from Junior Cunningham, Amir Hosseinpour, Mila Sanders, Felix Fogg, Gabbie Cook and Jean-Daniel Broussé.
Phoebe Knight
Before catching the circus bug, Phoebe graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with a Ba (Hons) In Contemporary Dance. They discovered Chinese Pole shortly after, captivated by the beauty, grace, strength and skill of the discipline.
Phoebe wears the hats of performer, movement director, teacher, stage manager and crew for indoor and outdoor theatre, big tops, and screen. Working in the overlap between dance and circus, Phoebe has most recently performed for Pirates of the Carabina, Head Over Wheels, Farah Saleh, Electric Wonderland, Lavrak Circus and Bertie Collective
Phoebe is thrilled beyond words to be presenting Tell Me with Sadiq Ali Company.
Jonah Russell
Jonah is a contemporary circus acrobat and physical performer. They have worked as a freelance acrobat with companies including Mimbre and Max Calaf, and are currently performing with Sadiq Ali Company on Tell Me. Alongside their performance work, Jonah develops research-led physical performance projects under the collective Ludic Acid, including work that has involved being the bum and back legs of giant wildcat from Scotland, and exploring duo acrobatics inside an XXXXL hoodie.
Sadiq Ali
Sadiq Ali is a Scottish-born, mixed-heritage queer circus artist, cabaret performer and activist who trained at the National Centre for Circus Arts. He has performed with Ockham’s Razor, Upswing and Superfan. Sadiq leads Sadiq Ali Company; working primarily with Chinese pole, the company’s work blends contemporary circus, theatre and lived experience. Their debut work, The Chosen Haram, toured extensively both nationally and internationally and was met with critical acclaim.
Tell Me is funded by Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Without Walls and Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement, commissioned by the Lowry Salford, Certain Blacks, Stockton International Riverside Festival, Inspirate, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and in association with MimeLondon, Summerhall and 101 Outdoor Arts.
