About
Joshua (and Me) is a one woman show about being a sibling to someone who is autistic; giving a voice to young people with responsibilities of care.
Hannah lives by the seaside with Mum, Dad, and two brothers, Ben and Joshua. The brothers are very different. Ben lets Hannah in his room, they play spies together, and, sometimes, he even gives her a hug. These things aren't possible with Joshua. It’s like he speaks a different language.
"We have to learn about each other’s worlds" says Mum.
Mission accepted.
Full of laughter, love, and original music, Joshua (and Me) explores what it's like to grow up in a house where, however loved you are, your needs are not your family's first concern. As Hannah grows, so does her understanding of Joshua. We journey with her from seven to eighteen, when it’s time to leave home. But Hannah’s life has been moulded around the needs of her brother: “I don’t know who I am if I’m not his sister”. How can she find her way in a world where no-one knows, or cares, what it’s like to be Joshua’s sister?
Based on Rachel Hammond’s own life, alongside stories from other siblings of individuals with additional needs, Joshua (and Me) provides permission and space for siblings to honestly and openly explore their experiences, too.
★★★★★
"An absolute masterclass on the human experience that will leave you aching with love."
"Sibs exists to support people who grow up with or have grown up with a disabled brother or sister. It is the only UK charity representing the needs of over half a million young siblings and over one and a half million adult siblings."
"The Siblings Group aims to enable brothers and sisters of children with additional needs to share their experiences and feelings of being a sibling. We do this through activities such as using puppets, painting, writing and drawing. We want siblings to realise that their experience is not an isolated one."
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