NEURODIVERSITY PROJECT - 25*26 - more soon!
With a premiere expected in January 2026, the ASD PROJECT (working title) will be a multi-year, multidisciplinary work that brings the reality of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder to life in a moving way.
ASD is no longer as rare as people used to think; it affects about 1 in 100 , including myself! My recent diagnosis was the inspiration for all of this. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of ignorance and stigma surrounding it. This ambitious project aims to break through these barriers. With an inclusive theater performance and research at the AP Hogeschool, I want to increase awareness of the talents of neurodivergent people.
1. THEATRE:
In 1926, visionary psychiatrist Grunya Sukhareva discovers autism in eleven children and secretly fights against the oppression of Stalin's regime to recognize their difference. One hundred years later, in 2026, theater director Thomas J. struggles with his recent autism diagnosis while trying to shape his broken life. Two different lives, in different eras and different places - until they intersect in a fantastic way and become inextricably linked!
In collaboration with Het Raster VZW, we will create a Charlie Kaufman-like performance about the necessity of abnormal worlds with an inclusive cast of neurodivergents!
2. RESEARCH:
A one-year predoctoral fellowship investigates the possibilities of innovative acting methods through autism with the theater play as a practice-based experiment. Title: Neurodivergent Drama - Innovative Theatralicities through autism. The results are presented in a publication, a masterclass and a PHD-question in 2026!