The art of neurodiversityThe art of neurodiversity
All In The Mind
Neurodiversity is a radical social movement challenging the notion of what’s normal and what’s a disorder. What better place to explore neurodiversity than in the arts and theatre—we hear from actors on the autism spectrum and a synesthete using her perceptions of colour and music to create art.
28:52•16 Dec 2018
The Art of Neurodiversity: Brains, Theatre and Rethinking ‘Normal’
Episode Overview
- Neurodiversity is framed as natural variation in perception, not a deviation to be fixed, and something that should be celebrated and accommodated.
- Theatre workshops can help non-autistic actors feel aspects of autistic experience, deepening empathy and challenging assumptions about social behaviour.
- Stimming is presented as a valid and comforting self-regulation tool, and participants often reconnect with movements they were taught to suppress.
- Autistic performers describe both the benefits and limits of their different perception in acting, and question being typecast as the “token autistic”.
- Synaesthetic experiences can shape powerful visual and musical art, highlighting that autistic and neurodiverse people can engage in deeply emotional and empathetic work.
“It’s a difference of perception rather than a deviation that we need to think about rectifying.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This highlight from All In The Mind turns the spotlight on neurodiversity, asking what happens when brains that work differently are given centre stage in theatre and art. Hosted by Lynne Malcolm, the episode brings together academic voices and artists who live this reality every day.
Professor Jill Bennett sets the scene, calling neurodiversity “a difference of perception rather than a deviation that we need to think about rectifying,” and arguing that it should be “celebrated and accommodated” like cultural diversity. Her work with immersive technologies shows how carefully designed experiences can widen empathy instead of reinforcing stereotypes about autism.
Playwright and artistic director Tom Middleditch speaks with sharp humour about being “mildly autistic – but I don’t mean that in the sense of I experience it mildly. I mean that you experience me mildly.” He explains how his company a_tistic builds acting workshops that help non-autistic actors feel, in their own bodies, what sensory overload and social mismatch can be like, turning theatre exercises into tools for empathy.
Teenage actor Summer Metcalfe shares down‑to‑earth realities of school, sensory overwhelm and the awkward reactions she gets when she says she’s on the spectrum: “You don’t look like you’re autistic.” She’s keen to act widely, not as “the token autistic”, and points out how her different perception can add new layers to characters. Composer and multidisciplinary artist Stephanie Kabinyana-Kanyandakwe brings a rich description of synaesthesia and autism, turning colour, rhythm and heritage into visual and musical pieces.
She challenges assumptions that autistic people lack emotion, describing her work as “a very emotional space”. The episode gently asks anyone touched by difference – including those in addiction or mental health recovery – to rethink what “normal” means, to question stereotypes, and to ask: how might life change if every brain in the room was treated as worth understanding?
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