Autism proves no barrier as meadows performers take a walk on wild side
had for the land. Emily said: “The message in this play is highlighting something really important for people in every community, that restrictions on opportunities to be outside and play outside impact on mental health, and that includes people with autism.”
For director Graham Eatough, the Meadow was the obvious choice once the project began its two-year development at NTS.
He said: “One of the main themes in the book is about Naoki’s powerful relationship with nature. In a world he finds difficult to interact with, the natural environment is affirming for him.
“As we were working with autistic actors, we realised they also felt nature was a place of respite, rejuvenation and positivity. So we decided to set the show outdoors, and started working with the people here.
“It’s a brilliant coming together with a place which already had that philosophy for a theatre show which is telling people a story about that relationship with nature.”
The cast of children and adults are all on the autistic spectrum, with pupils from Glasgow’s Abercorn School, the Isobel Mair School in Renfrewshire, and Edinburgh’s St Crispin’s.
The set comprises a wooden maze and a central labyrinth built from old cobblestones reclaimed from a Maryhill street. The labyrinth will become a permanent part of the wood.
Actor Nicky Tuxworth, 28, from West Calder, has Asperger’s. A gold medal winner in judo and bowls at the special Olympics, she is incorporating elements of her sports into her performance.
She said: “It’s humbling for us to take parts of Naoki’s book and add our own individual experiences. I love working outside, rather than being confined to a darkened stage because it brings out a lot more skills. It’s such a release to be around nature. It makes you feel really connected.”
We hoped people would use it in more creative ways