Tell Me”: A Bold New Circus Show on HIV

The makers of the★★★★★international hitThe Chosen Haramreturn with a powerful new  show that embraces a hopeful, human vision of life with HIV in the 21st century.Tell Meis a  striking fusion of circus, dance and theatre created and directed by Sadiq Ali and produced by  Turtle Key Arts. This bold and visually arresting production invites audiences to confront stigma  and celebrate resilience. 

Through Chinese Pole, aerial artistry and physical theatre, Tell Mefollows a woman navigating  her HIV diagnosis; in a world still shaped by prejudice, silence and misunderstanding, the show  considers her fears and dreams and the effect her diagnosis has on her relationships and her  own sense of self. Sadiq Ali Company combines breathtaking movement and emotional  storytelling to create a new piece that is both visceral and moving, transforming lived  experience into a universal story of strength, empathy and shared humanity. 

Following the international success ofThe Chosen Haram– which toured to over 25 UK venues  and major world-wide festivals including Sydney Festival, Auckland Arts Festival and Gay Pride  Europe, Malta –Tell Memarks the next bold step in Sadiq Ali’s mission to use circus as a vehicle  for social change. 

Featuring Sadiq Ali, Jonah Russell and Phoebe Knight,Tell Mebrings together an exceptional  creative team with lighting by Jamie Heseltine, sound by Guy Veale, dramaturgy by Rishi Trikha,  costume design by Aslı Özüak and choreography consultation by Jonathan Lunn and Junior  Cunningham. The work has been developed in consultation with HIV charities Positively UK and 

CHIVA (Children’s HIV Association) to ensure authenticity and representation and will be  accompanied by post-show discussions around the theme of living with HIV in 2026. 

Sadiq comments,When I was diagnosed with HIV during my circus training, I saw how much fear  and ignorance still existed. I want Tell Me to challenge that – to create the same shift in  audiences that I experienced with my peers, to replace fear with empathy and understanding. I  want to challenge preconceptions to allow audiences a similar shifting of ideas and create a  work that breaks that fear. 

Tell Meis a co-creation between artists in Scotland and England, the show has been developed  at Powerhouse, Coventry, Summerhall, Edinburgh and The Lowry, Salford. 

Featured Image: Courtesy of Tell Me

Back to HOME