The Other Life I Lead
The Other Life I Lead is a new gig-theatre production from Diverse City, created with and led by emerging d/Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ artists from across the UK.
As Director Eilís describes it:
The Other Life I Lead is a high-energy musical about identity, belonging and the courage it takes to live an unfiltered life.
Set in a small seaside town, the show follows a group of young people caught between staying put and stepping out. Through live music, storytelling and raw performance, they wrestle with who they are, who they’re expected to be, and what it takes to live out loud.
Part gig, part confession, part coming-of-age howl, The Other Life I Lead blends punk-rock grit, pop ballads and acoustic storytelling into a fiercely joyful celebration of queer and disabled lives, where the identities usually told to stay quiet are turned all the way up.
“From classically trained players to the self-taught, and absolute beginners, they became a full-blown rock-punk band.”
— Sophia, Producer, reflecting on the ensemble following the Midlands Arts Centre residency
Creative Lead/Director/Writer
Eilís Davis
Composer & Musical Director
Harry Bassett
Producer
Sophia Knox-Miller
More than a show
The Other Life I Lead is not simply a theatre production. It represents Diverse City’s wider approach to developing artists and creating new work.
Many of the artists involved first connected with Diverse City five or six years ago through talent development residencies. Rather than supporting artists for a single project, Diverse City invests in long-term creative relationships, bringing artists back into new opportunities as their careers develop.
The project demonstrates how artist development, professional production and inclusive practice can exist as one integrated process.
How The Other Life I Lead has grown
The Other Life I Lead has grown over several years through a series of creative residencies, partnerships and strategic investments. Rather than moving straight into production, the project has developed in stages, allowing artists to experiment, refine ideas and shape the work collaboratively.
This slow, iterative process is fundamental to how Diverse City makes work—building productions through collaboration, investing in artists over time, and allowing ideas to grow before they reach the stage.
The journey so far includes:
2023
Early research and development exploring the project’s themes, with initial ideas developed at Lighthouse, Poole and through community research.
July 2023
A first scratch sharing at For/With/By Festival in Barrow-in-Furness, testing the concept with audiences and peers.
2024–25
Further creative development with emerging disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent artists as the project and ensemble continued to evolve.
2025 Youth Music Trailblazer
Funding enabled Diverse City to explore inclusive music-making, opening a new area of practice for the organisation.
2025/6 Music residencies
At Weymouth College (now Coastland College), including time at Echo Town Studios, where the ensemble developed original music together.
National recruitment expanded the ensemble, bringing together emerging disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent artists from across the UK.
2026 Further Residency
at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, where new songs and theatrical ideas were developed.
Support from Talbot Village Trust, REVEAL – Portland & Weymouth Towns of Culture 2025 and Leche Trust enabled the work to grow from music development into a full theatrical production.
July 2026
A four-day creation residency at Poole High School, where the ensemble created around 55 minutes of new performance, developed and staged new material with a live nine-piece band, and shared the work with invited partners and supporters.
July 2026
A performance at the European Youth Theatre Festival at Hull Truck Theatre.
Continued redevelopment ahead of future touring.
“I've learnt I don't need to be hyper-independent. I want to save my energy for the music.”
TOLIL ensemble member
The ensemble
The Other Life I Lead brings together a nationally recruited ensemble of emerging disabled and LGBTQIA+ artists, supported by a professional creative team and a live nine-piece band performing original music by Harry Bassett.
Many of the artists first connected with Diverse City through earlier development programmes and have returned over several years as their careers have grown.
“Once the talent has been identified, it’s about drawing them back into project after project.” Alice, Senior Producer
The production demonstrates Diverse City’s commitment to long-term artist development rather than one-off opportunities.
Creative Team + Artists
Eilís Davis
Director
Sophia Knox-Miller
Producer
Claire Hodgson
Choreographer
Harry Bassett
Composer
Jessica Skelton
Artist
Sam Jamil
Artist
Erin James
Artist
Freya Broadman
Artist
Kira Proctor
Artist
Lyle Saur
Artist
Access as artistic practice
Access is embedded into every stage of the creative process.
Professional disabled artists model inclusive ways of working by openly discussing access needs, adapting rehearsal processes and demonstrating sustainable creative practice.
“As an autistic person who is also creative, I feel inspired by all the musical ideas, without pressure of doing them in a ‘perfect’ way… By just riding the wave, I can take risks in my own practice.” — TOLIL ensemble member
Made possible through partnership
The Other Life I Lead has grown through collaboration.
Youth Music’s Trailblazer programme enabled Diverse City to explore inclusive music-making for the first time, while support from Talbot Village Trust helped sustain access support for the wider programme of artist development as the work evolved into a full theatrical production.
The project has also been developed in partnership with Dorset Music Service / Octagon Music Hub, Weymouth College, Echo Town Studios, Midlands Arts Centre, Lighthouse, Poole High School and Hull Truck Theatre.
“We’re not just making a show. We’re creating the conditions for artists to thrive.” Claire, Diverse City Co-Artisitc Director
The Other Life I Lead has been shaped by a growing network of funders, artists, educators, venues and cultural organisations. Each has contributed something different—from funding and rehearsal space to mentoring, performance opportunities and specialist expertise. Together, they’ve helped create the conditions for both the production and the artists to grow.
Special Thanks To
all of our supporters and participants, including:
Funders
- Youth Music (Trailblazer)
- Talbot Village Trust
- REVEAL – Portland & Weymouth Towns of Culture 2025
- Leche Trust
- Arts Council England, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation are core funders behind the tea
Creative & Delivery Partners
- Dorset Music Service / Octagon Music Hub
- Echo Town Studios
- Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
- Lighthouse, Poole
- Education Partners
- Weymouth College (part of Coastland College)
- Poole High School
- Performance & Development Partners
- Hull Truck Theatre
- For/With/By Festival of European Youth Theatre
Artists & Creative Team
- Harry Bassett (Composer & Musical Director)
- Eilís Davis (Creative Lead/Director/Writer)
- Sophia Knox-Miller(Producer)
- Ola Animashawun (Dramaturg)
- Hester Welch (Stage Manager)