Shay Mace
Sadiq Ali is the Artistic Director of Tell Me, a Chinese Pole and aerial artistry show arriving at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this week. The show sees two timelines collide in this bold fusion of dance and circus, offering a fresh perspective on HIV. When Grace receives a diagnosis, she is transported back to the 80s alongside Michael, a gay man navigating a very different reality. We caught up with Sadiq for a pixelated pint to find out more about the show.
You can catch Tell Me at Summerhall (Dissection Room) from 19:00 (65mins) on August 7–9, 12–16, 19–23, 26–31. Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Sadiq, tell us about how your HIV diagnosis inspired this show and why you have decided to bring this to the stage now?
Sadiq: I was diagnosed with HIV in 2014, right at the start of my circus training. Tell Me is the first time I’ve been able to bring together everything I’ve learned as a circus artist with my work in HIV advocacy and activism.
What really inspired me was asking where we are now, in 2026. That’s why the show centres on a female lead. HIV is often still viewed through a very narrow lens, and I wanted to broaden that conversation.
One memory from my training has stayed with me ever since. In my third year, during a rehearsal, I was spinning in the air when I cut myself and ended up covering the studio floor with my blood. Two years earlier, some of those same students had been frightened to work alongside me because of misconceptions about HIV, just as I had once been frightened and misinformed myself. But in that moment there wasn’t a second of hesitation. They helped clean up, put me in the shower, and looked after me without fear.
That experience taught me that openness creates understanding. When we’re willing to share our stories, we create allies, often without even realising it. That’s what this show is really about.
Shay: How has the creative process been of putting the show together? Give us an idea of the journey you’ve been on with it so far.
Sadiq: We work through a devised process, so I usually arrive with the seed of an idea rather than a finished script. With Tell Me, the starting point was actually the world itself. I designed the cube structures and the aerial apparatus first, creating the physical architecture that the story would live inside.
From there, alongside an incredible team of performers, our dramaturg, lighting designer, and set and costume designer, we began layering the narrative, imagery and emotional journey into that world.
The show has changed significantly since its first outing earlier this year. Seeing it in front of audiences showed us where it wanted to grow, so we’re currently back in the rehearsal room reshaping, refining and strengthening it. There’s never enough time before Edinburgh Fringe, but that’s part of the excitement. We know the work is strong, we know it has legs, and now it needs to meet an audience so it can continue evolving.
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Sadiq: Because this is a story about the present day, I’m currently putting together a playlist of 80s classics reimagined through a contemporary lens. That will be the first thing audiences hear as they enter.
Visually, they’ll be greeted by one of our striking cube structures, which immediately sets the tone for the world they’re about to step into. Beyond that, I don’t want to give too much away. Let’s just say we’re aiming for a bit of a visual palate cleanser before the journey begins.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Sadiq: More than anything, I hope people realise that HIV isn’t someone else’s issue. It’s part of all of our shared history and our shared humanity.
But beyond the subject matter, I hope audiences connect emotionally with the physical performance. I want them to experience something that’s joyful, beautiful, funny, moving and ultimately hopeful. If people leave with a little more empathy, a little more compassion, and having experienced a powerful piece of circus theatre, then I’ll be very happy.
Shay: What journey has the show been on to find itself at EdFringe 2026?
Sadiq: We’re incredibly proud to be part of the Made in Scotland programme this year, which champions some of the country’s most exciting new work. This is the third time I’ve had the privilege of being part of the programme, and it still feels slightly surreal.
We’re performing at Summerhall, which really feels like home. There’s such a supportive team behind the venue, and that makes a huge difference. Edinburgh Fringe can be an overwhelming place, but we’re fortunate to be surrounded by people and organisations that genuinely champion Scottish artists and help us bring ambitious new work to audiences.
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Sadiq: I’m genuinely excited because this feels like a brilliant year for Chinese pole. It’s my main discipline, and there are several fantastic pole-based shows at the Fringe this year, including work by Yvonne Smink and Dusk, Night, Dawn, alongside a number of other productions featuring Chinese pole.
It’s quite unusual to see so much of the discipline represented in one Fringe, so if you’re interested in circus, Chinese pole or physical performance, this is a great year to dive in.
Shay: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), what would it be and why?
Sadiq: I’d say Tell Me is a Dark ‘n’ Stormy. It’s a solid all-rounder, but it has depth, complexity and just enough edge to keep things interesting.
Then I’d follow it immediately with a Passion Fruit Martini, because the show also has plenty of camp glamour, unapologetic queerness and celebration. It’s both of those drinks in one evening.
A reminder, you can catch Tell Me at Summerhall (Dissection Room) from 19:00 (65mins) on August 7–9, 12–16, 19–23, 26–31. Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Recommended Drink: Alberto Santos Bellido
Nancy Hannigan
Saint Stella Productions
