New Artists for CRIPtic 2021

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At CRIPtic, we’re getting very close to in-person rehearsals starting (Monday 8th). The show opens on the 19th November, so it’s very soon now!

We’re delighted to announce that we are adding three new acts to the line-up. Sahera Khan and Gold Maria Akanbi are bringing filmed pieces, and Flawbored are bringing a comedy. So, without further ado, here they are:

Sahera Khan

Sahera is Muslim, Deaf and British South Asian, her native language is British Sign Language. She is a freelance writer/creator, artist/actress, filmmaker and YouTuber, and wrote a great introductory blog for us.

Sahera’s set is made up of three poem-videos, Hurts me, I don’t care if it is repeated and Why together. Written to explore the Deaf experience, they bring the watcher into her world.

This is the front of an artist announcement card for Sahera Khan. The design is styled on an American baseball card. The card has a thin white border and the rest of the card is black with turquoise accents. On the left hand corner, there is a triangular cross section of a photo of Sahera. She is an asian woman. Her hair is in a black wrap, and she has round black glasses. She looks forward kindly with a slight smile, and is wearing a dark green, collared top. To the right of the photo, there is her name, Sahera Khan, pronouns, her/hers, her twitter handles, @Sahera04 & @Deaf1Sign, and a her field, writer, actress, and filmmaker. Below this is a short paragraph which says "Sahera is a poet, youtuber and creative. Her work is written and filmed in British Sign Language". In a turquoise rectangle below this, the card says "Poet and filmmaker with digital piece". Below this are Sahera's twitter handles @Sahera & @Deaf1Sign and a quote saying "A passion for the arts"
This is the front of an artist announcement card for Flawbored - an ensemble of three artists. The design is styled on an American baseball card. The card has a thin white border and the rest of the card is black with turquoise accents. On the left hand corner, there is a triangular cross section of a photo of the three ensemble members. On the left is Aarian, a man with brown skin and black hair. He wears a dark blue denim jacket with a borg lining. Next to Aarian is Chloe, a white woman with blonde hair, wearing a white jumper with the word "Factory" in yellow flames on it. Next to Chloe is Samuel, a white man with a shaved head and stubble, wearing a pale green t-shirt with his arms folded. Behind them is graffiti in bright colours. To the right of the photo, there is the name, FlawBored, with the artist names and pronouns below it: Samuel Brewer (he/him), Chloe Palmer (she/her), Aairan Mehrabani (he/him), their artform, ensemble comedy. Below this is a short paragraph which says "FlawBored take traditional devising techniques, break them into pieces, then use them to create new ways of working that are accessible to all". In a turquoise rectangle below this, the card says "Disability-led ensemble-based work". Below this is their twitter handle, @Flawbored and a quote saying "Messy, silly, and strange"

Flawbored

FlawBored is a new disability-led theatre company creating messy, silly and strange ensemble based work.

In a world of late stage capitalism major corporations co-opt oppressed groups to generate income – but blindness hasn’t yet been commodified as cool or sexy.

After their social media star goes viral for a disablist video, RIZE Talent use their only blind talent manager to try and build the career of a blind influencer.

Gold Akanbi

Gold Maria Akanbi is a bisexual, neurodiverse British-Nigerian artist whose multidisciplinary practice reflects their identity and attempts to draw the audience in through a full and rich experience, to help them grasp an understanding of neurodiversity.

Can I Be Free reflects on, and attempts to express, the physical, emotional, and mental restrictions placed by faceless authorities and institutions onto vulnerable and marginalised Black individuals. It explores how State control over Black Bodies through false benevolence has been normalised as a form of oppression. It is inspired by Artificial Intelligence, Afro-futurism and ancestral divination.

This is the front of an artist announcement card for Gold Akanbi. The design is styled on an American baseball card. The card has a thin white border and the rest of the card is black with turquoise accents. On the left hand corner, there is a triangular cross section of a photo of Gold. Gold is sitting at a desk with a pained expression on their face, wearing a black top and has a brown afro. To the right of the photo, there is their name, Gold Akanbi, pronouns, her/hers or them/theirs, and a their field - multidisciplinary artists. Below this is a short paragraph which says "Gold communicates neurodiversity through multidisciplinary creative work in a variety of rich sensory media". In a turquoise rectangle below this, the card says "Multidisciplinary digital performance". Below this is Gold's instagram handle, @goldmakanbi and a quote saying "Ancestral futurism and afro-divination"

With these great acts, and more, it’s going to be a fabulous night. Tickets are selling fast, so get them while you can.