MEET FRED to Return For Tenth Anniversary Tour Across England And Wales

Created and performed by an inclusive ensemble of disabled and non-disabled artists, Meet Fred will return for a 34-venue tour for its tenth anniversary, using the story of a two-foot-tall puppet to interrogate how society restricts independence for those who don't fit its norms. At the heart of the show is Fred, a cloth puppet who wants to live an ordinary life: find love, get a job and be part of society. But when his Puppetry Living Allowance is threatened, his world begins to unravel. Blending dark humour, mesmerising puppetry and sharp political commentary, Meet Fred offers a subversive examination of bureaucracy, disability rights and what it means to be human. More than a decade after its premiere, the show remains urgently relevant, reflecting ongoing debates and budget cuts surrounding inclusion, independence, and disability rights.

Since 2016, Meet Fred has toured extensively across the UK and internationally, performing in more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. Featuring three exceptional learning disabled and/or Autistic performers from Welsh company Hijinx, who devised the production along with puppetry experts Blind Summit, to demonstrate the power of inclusive collaboration and the creative impact of lived experience.

Director Ben Pettitt-Wade said, "We could not have dreamed when we created Meet Fred back in 2016 that it would have taken us across the world, on so many adventures. At the time of making the show many of the artists we made the show with were facing cuts to their disability benefits, an experience which they brought into the room and ultimately became reflected in the struggle we see faced by Fred. With the threat of cuts to disability benefits again hanging in the balance, Meet Fred is a call to arms for anyone who has fought, and is fighting, against a system not designed for them, as vital now as it ever was."

Hijinx Actor Lindsay Spellman and original Meet Fred cast member, said, "Being part of Meet Fred has changed me a lot as a performer and as a person. When I started, I didn't have the same confidence I do now. Touring for so long has taught me so many skills - performing in different places, meeting new people, getting paid and managing that money, learning to travel and work as a team. I've grown so much, and I don't think I'd have found that anywhere else. I'm really proud to still be part of this show, and I can't wait to bring it home. We've done a lot around the world - now our friends and families here in the UK can finally see what all the fuss is about!"