A Small Enclosed Room with Alfie Murphy will be staged at The Lowry, Salford on Friday 11, 8pm & Saturday 12 October, 2.30pm and 8pm.
This dark comedy is a new play which explores the complexities of masking and autistic fantasy. The production was created by renowned autistic artist Cian Binchy (star of ITV’s, The Level) in collaboration with Dublin-based Shaun Dunne and Leah Moore. The play also features autistic performer, Anna Constable.
The play leads audiences through the various worlds of Cian Binchy’s imagination, combining his signature comedic style with an alternative noughties soundtrack. Alfie, a rockstar turned guru, is one of many made up characters, a shark is another character, all created by Binchy in his surreal world of fantasies, failure and fame.
The production explores the question that if the person we show the world is just a mask, what’s really underneath? An authentic self? Or just stories we tell to protect ourselves?
‘It’s important to see neurodivergent art made by neurodivergent people as it’s not seen enough. A lot of autistic people struggle with identity and masking and it’s important to understand that autistic people can be wearing a mask to fit in with society and might be afraid about showing their true selves. I think it’s good for people to understand how fantasy works in autistic minds and how we shut off the world, and also try to connect with different people using fantasy. This show explores that.’ says Cian Binchy
This play is the first in a series of three new co-productions presented by award-winning company Access All Areas and The Lowry, created in collaboration with writers Shaun Dunne (“How to Tell a Secret” Netflix) and Leah Moore (“Good Omens” Amazon Prime).
The aim is to stage thought-provoking and high quality drama from learning disabled and autistic creatives. This exciting new partnership aims to improve representation of excellent learning-disabled led art, putting learning disabled and autistic artists centre stage and in leadership roles. The collaboration will include new productions, co-created with Access All Areas’ Associate Artists, and strengthen The Lowry’s commitment to being accessible and inclusive for learning disabled and autistic audiences and participants.
‘It’s great to welcome back Cian and Access All Areas to the Lowry with A Small Enclosed Room with Alfie Murphy. They are an incredibly exciting company, with a recent show at The Royal Court under their belt, and this production marks the first as a partner organisation. It’s great to be able to kick off with a premiere from Cian and I can’t wait for our audiences to see it’. said Matthew Eames, Head of Theatres, The Lowry
Title: A Small Enclosed Room with Alfie Murphy
Venue: The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Dates: Friday 11, 8pm & Saturday 12 October, 2.30pm and 8pm.
Tickets from £12
Box office 0161 876 2000, 0161 876 2183 (access line).
Log on to www.thelowry.com
