Mexico. Otros Territorios Festival Queretaro

Being part of the Otros Territorios Festival in Mexico has hit me like a hurricane. And now I'm home in London all I can think about is going back to Mexico. Very luckily for me they have already invited Flute Theatre back in 2026 and it can't come too soon. Every year this extraordinary festival takes place in a different small town in Mexico, offering theatre and art for the local disabled and marginalised people. Long live this beautiful festival.

This year was the 12th Juan and Cesar have curated. But they don't just curate, they pick you up from the airport, they raise the money, they buy tissues when needed, they dance at parties, they introduce people to each other so that connections can be made, they have a day of talking and sharing experiences where everyone is genuinely heard, they make the most of every day on the planet and they listen and they ask how can we do this better? I have never felt so welcome. I was privileged to be in their presence.

Day one. We planned to introduce the Flute Theatre games to a small number of actors in preparation for playing with autistic people the following day. I walked into the space to find at least thirty young people, mostly with Downs Syndrome, some in wheelchairs, together with about twenty actors all already sitting around the circle waiting to begin. I'd taped a circle on the floor an hour earlier. Everyone had been to the opening ceremony next door and were now waiting to do The Tempest.

"This will be fun" - I think I said to Aleix. "Let's introduce ourselves". So we did and so began a pattern for the week. Perform first and rehearse the next day. Why not? As a principle, I never turn people way. As a principle, I always change a plan if need be at the drop of a hat. Part of the specific nature of our shows is that we offer instruction and help to our participants ( and in this case the actors) during the performances so this was very useful indeed as we introduced and played the games, Aleix playing all the parts and The Tempest unfolded. People with Downs respond very happily to the Flute Theatre games, and a riotous afternoon was had by all. I was accompanied by Umar, who never left my side and repeated everything I said as if he were my second in command on a battle field, glorious stirring stuff.

Later in the week, we introduced the game of falling and catching, designed to help autistic people through targeting their vestibular system; the participant falls forward and back into the arms of two actors, while two more actors keep the participant's feet steady to allow for a physical catharsis. Cinthya, who is wheelchair bound, asked if she could "do the tipping" - she wanted to catch people. First she caught me, listening to the needs of my body, adjusting her chair to the perfect angle, not wanting to be helped but rather to help others. She offered her upper body strength with power and comfort and in the space of thirty seconds she totally changed and developed a game I have played for years.

Later in the week, our autistic participants joined us. The conversation the day before with the local organiser, Otokani, had gone like this:

Me: we really would love to have autistic people come to the performances, that's who the performances are for and that's why Juan has invited me.

Otokani: yes well we sometimes organise for some local autistic children to go to the cinema here.

Me: can you organise for them to come to our show?

Otokani: well they repeat your words back to you and rock backward and forward alot so I'm not sure.

Me and Aleix: That's who we want!!

Otokani: Really?

Me and Aleix: Yes! Please! Could you call them and let them know this is genuinely for them. I can come round to their houses and talk to them if you need me to.

Otokani: Consider it done.

Otokani and his wife Marianna got on the phone the next morning and in the afternoon four beautiful autistic boys with their families walked into the space. Ruben's energy was very high, rocking his very tall body back and forth, with Aleix and Ahmed -one of the Mexican actors rocking and dancing with him. Half way through the show, Aleix and I played the falling and catching with Ruben, allowing his body to rock further forward and back than he can on his own. After this he immediately made himself comfortable in the centre of the circle - I had been talking all week about the safe and warm womb like space of our circle and he promptly fell asleep. As if he were nestled by a fire. We made the rest of the performance around his sleeping body.

Meanwhile Emilio, paper thin, with belt tightly knotted, participated through sound and music. Brilliantly. Singing the songs as if he had always known them. He also gave me several new hairstyles throughout the two hours and proceeded to entertain us with renditions of Robbie Williams waiting for his parents after the show. He joined Aleix in singing the names of the participants toward the end of the show.

emilio and aleix

Everywhere around the world I experience characteristic similarities between the autistic people I meet. In London and Brighton, we perform and play with a community of autistic people, some of whom we have known for at least eight years. In London, Marcus sings the songs as if he has always known them and entertains us with "Do they know its Christmas" as he waits for his parents after a performance. Kourosh is paper thin and ties his belt exactly the same way as Emilio. As did Brandon who I played with from 2009-2016. And Olli does our hair during the performances.

May autistic people all around the world be increasingly accepted and understood until there is no need for labels of any sort.