Cambridge Theatre Company Addresses Autism in Debut Performance

A newly formed theatre group intends for its initial production to inform audiences about aspects of autism they may not be familiar with. Members of The Sixth Sense Collective anticipate that their staging of Irish playwright Jody O’Neill’s “What I (don’t) know about Autism” in Cambridge will highlight the condition. Some individuals within the company, which was established in Cambridge a year ago, are on the autism spectrum. Company founder Kate Khairdean stated her aspiration to offer young talent an opportunity to excel and to enhance awareness of autism. Actors from Sixth Sense are scheduled to present “What I (don’t) know about Autism” at The Atrium Theatre in Cambridge on November 1 and 2. A spokeswoman for the company revealed that several cast members have neurodiversity diagnoses, with most being teenagers. She elaborated: “While there are a number of fantastic theatre companies for adults and/or children with learning difficulties and/or autism, The Sixth Sense Collective is believed to be the first theatre company in the UK specifically for neurodivergent young performers.” Ms. Khairdean, a 48-year-old drama teacher at Gretton School in Girton, Cambridgeshire, commented that the company was making its debut on stage. “This is phase one, and hopefully it will go well,” she told the BBC. “We have actually already had quite a lot of interest, and we hope to have more productions.” She mentioned that company members had carefully considered their choice for the first production. “It’s a question of finding the right material,” she added. “When I read this, I thought it was the one, and when everyone else read it, we all felt the same.” Regarding autism, The National Autistic Society (NAS) defines it as a “spectrum condition that affects people in different ways.” The NAS indicated that individuals on the autism spectrum might: The NAS noted that the definition of autism has evolved over decades and could continue to change as “we understand more.” “Some people feel the spectrum is too broad, arguing an autistic person with 24/7 support needs cannot be compared with a person who finds supermarket lights too bright,” the society communicated on its website. “The National Autistic Society thinks the UK government should do more research into autism prevalence.” It further stated: “Until that research is done, we believe that more than one in 100 people are autistic, which means more than 700,000 people in the UK.”