SADIQ ALI COMPANY - TELL ME (UK, CIRCUS & DANCE)
A
SAT 10 SEPTEMBER, 3PM
(60 mins)
Instagram: @sadiqalicompany
SADIQ ALI COMPANY – Tell Me
Performed on three scaffold tubes and combining Chinese Pole with aerial work, Tell Me follows a woman navigating her HIV diagnosis, her hopes, her dreams, her fears and ultimately her reality - living with the virus in 2026. A highly physical performance, Tell Me draws on the lived experience of director Sadiq Ali as both a circus artist and HIV activist, creating intimate yet visually spectacular performances.
Tell Me seeks to challenge outdated perceptions and offers audiences a fresh perspective on HIV, rooted in courage, beauty and possibility.
Performed on three scaffold cubes Tell Me follows a character disclosing their HIV status and hopes to destigmatise HIV. It deals with themes of sexual identity, religion and drug dependency through the story of two gay men, their chance meeting on a dating app and the highs and lows of their relationship. Sadiq Ali Company is an emerging circus and performance specialising in ‘Chinese Pole’.
“Tell Me is not ultimately a story of triumph or transcendence, it’s one of love, support and acceptance, with some poignant intimate moments. It’s also a well put together piece of theatre, and there is no doubt much more from Ali to come.” – The Guardian ****
“one of the best meditations on all the moods of the hiv crisis that I have ever seen” - Plays to See ★★★★★
“Powerful, strong and sensual” - The Queer Review ★★★★★
“Beautifully choreographed, totally unmissable” - The Recs ★★★★★
“An astonishing fusion of circus and storytelling” - Fest Mag ★★★★★
WINNER OF THE SUMMERHALL LUSTRUM AWARD - EDINBURGH FRINGE 2022 FOR "UNFORGETTABLE PERFORMANCE"
About Sadiq Ali Company
Sadiq Ali is an Edinburgh-born contemporary circus artist and theatre-maker whose work blends breathtaking physicality with bold social storytelling. A graduate of London’s National Centre for Circus Arts, Sadiq is recognised for pushing the boundaries of circus performance through deeply personal and politically resonant narratives.