HIJINX Theatre, one of Europe’s leading inclusive theatre companies, is coming to Bristol Old Vic from 17th to 21st March, Taunton Brewhouse on Tuesday 7th April and Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 9th April, with Meet Fred. The company is marking the tenth anniversary of this darkly funny satire, following the experiences of Fred, a puppet fighting for his independence as his Puppetry Living Allowance comes under threat.

Ten years, 20-plus countries and countless laughs later, Meet Fred is back. Created and performed by an inclusive ensemble of disabled and non-disabled artists, this is the story of a two-foot-tall puppet, interrogating how society restricts independence for those who don’t fit its norms.

Fred is a cloth puppet who wants to live an ordinary life – find love, get a job and be part of society. But when his Puppetry Living Allowance is threatened, his world begins to unravel. Blending dark humour, mesmerising puppetry and sharp political commentary, Meet Fred offers a subversive examination of bureaucracy, disability rights and what it means to be human. More than a decade after its premiere, the show remains relevant, reflecting ongoing debates and budget cuts surrounding inclusion, independence and disability rights.

Since 2016, Meet Fred has toured extensively across the UK and internationally, performing in more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. The play features three exceptional learning disabled and/or autistic performers, who devised the production, along with puppetry experts Blind Summit, to demonstrate the power of inclusive collaboration and the creative impact of lived experience.