Image description - a close up on the side profile of a young woman's face taken through the wire patterns of a swing garden chair. She has dark hair and brown eyes and is looking thoughtful but ready for action if needed. It is moody and atmospheric. The actor is Philippa Cole playing Rat in Another England by Vici Wreford-Sinnott. Photo Credit Kevin Howard.
Welcome to our website. Little Cog is a disabled-led theatre company founded by Artistic Director Vici Wreford-Sinnott in 2011. The company seeks to put the hidden stories and experiences of disabled people centre-stage, whilst challenging entrenched historical and medical perceptions of disability and disabled people. We explore and celebrate an extraordinary social phenomenon with phenomenally talented disabled theatre actors, writers, artists, designers, thinkers and practitioners. We aim to complete the contemporary cultural landscape with beautiful, powerful, witty and challenging work. We explode the stage with new protagonists, new narratives and new or forgotten stories.
"A light-hearted start to a complex, often emotional play, investigating mental health and stigma throughout the ages. A challenging, important play"
The Northern Echo
The Northern Echo
about us
We are based at ARC Stockton Arts Centre but work all over the North East, as well as both nationally and internationally. We create original theatre, sometimes developed by our writer/director Vici Wreford-Sinnott, and we also have a new national commissioning programme and offer mentoring advice and support to a range of associates. We are passionate about creating projects which provide experiences and platforms for disabled peoples' voices in all sorts of ways. So we have a strong participatory programme, we involve disabled people in creative discussions, showcase new writing, and are committed to supporting a community of disabled artists in the North East.
Our Artistic Director produces Disconsortia which is a consortium of extraordinary disabled artists. We are collaborating with Black Robin to create On Whose Shoulders We Build which is a living archive for disability arts on the North East past and present. We believe that theatre is a platform for all disabled voices and are delighted to be regular collaborators with the learning disabled ensemble Full Circle. Vici is an ardent believer in the power of comedy, and the power of women to be funny and is producer of Funny Peculiar, a new project creating opportunities for disabled women in comedy.
We also have a belief in sharing our knowledge and experience in the area of Disability Equality in the arts and offer training and workshops, talks, keynote speeches and conference provocations.
"Congratulations on a profoundly moving, thought provoking, illuminating and emotionally intelligent piece of theatre"
"I was immediately drawn into the world you had created - totally compelling"
Audience Members, ARC Stockton
"I was immediately drawn into the world you had created - totally compelling"
Audience Members, ARC Stockton
Description of a gallery of six images: 1. Two actors on stage in Another England. Rat stands in front of a dressing table confidently facing Murphy, a wheelchair user, who has thrown a pile of papers in the air. The lighting effect is blue and it looks like a tense dramatic moment. The actors are Philippa Cole and Andrew McLay. Photo Credit Vici Wreford-Sinnott. 2. Head and shoulder shot of a shaven-headed Lady Kitt in drag as King Kitt. Drag make up includes eyebrows and moustache. They are wearing a blue parka with a furry hood. 3. The Crip Mistress, Lisette Auton, is wearing a ring mistress costume with a bright red coat, gold epaulets, and a steam punk top hat with goggles attached to it. She is holding a red piece of card with black letters on it. She is performing spoken word in character. 2 & 3 Photo Credits Kevin Howard. 4. Full Circle theatre company actors on stage in blue jeans and white jackets, protesting. Two of the actors each have one arm in the air as they want to be heard. Photo Credit Max Wreford-Sinnott. 5. A head and shoulders shot of Vici Wreford-Sinnott, a woman making a speech at the Conviva Disability Arts Symposium. Her hands are out expressively as she talks. 6. Artist Aidan Moesby is addressing a group of artists about his findings of the Conviva Symposium. He is using a microphone and a BSL interpreter is standing next to him. 5 & 6 Photo credits Nick Wesson.
