apolune: systems normal

A multimedia performance reimagining NASA's Apollo 11 archives through neurodivergent perspectives co-created by Peyvand Sadeghian & Matthew Robinson.

[Originally developed under the working title Over The Moon]

Photo: Person in a wheelchair wearing a patterned jacket against a red background.

“[apolune] coalesces into an expansive, multi-sensory experience of distance, isolation and connection. Absorbing the audience into a disorientating world, familiar emotional themes of overwhelm and disconnection, mental health and neurodivergence are embedded in new ways. The ambition of this piece is matched by the skill Peyvand and Matthew bring to it.”

Jamie Hale, Artistic Director, CRIPtic Arts

Apolune: Systems Normal transforms NASA's Apollo 11 archives into an atmospheric performance environment where scientific precision meets human experience. Through innovative projection mapping inspired by vintage broadcast technology, mission transcripts become dynamic performance texts while archival footage merges with live feed video to create responsive visual landscapes examining our relationship with progress.

overview

Completed CRIPtic Arts' Launchpad development programme with sold-out showcase performances at Barbican Pit Theatre (November 2024)
Additional development support from Tamasha
Secured Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant funding for continued research and development into early 2025
Supported by Bow Arts Trust through artist’s studio space
Grant award from the Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust
Building on strong audience and sector response to develop full-length production
Actively seeking partners and co-producers for next phase

Current Development

trailer

Photo: A performer in a blue coverall leans their head against the back of a folded chair, holding a rolled paper. White fabric drapes over their lap.

Photo: A performer in a white shirt and tie stands under blue lighting, adjusting dark glasses. Text projected above reads, "Copy deployment of opticals." The floor resembles a textured, moon-like surface.

Lead Artist (Performance & Script)
A critically acclaimed performer and theatremaker, Peyvand's work explores collective memory and sensory experience through multimedia performance. Her debut production DUAL دوگانه (Vault Festival Show of the Week, Keep it Fringe Award) toured internationally to critical acclaim. Her collaborations include Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran (Javaad Alipoor Company) and The Mirror Test (Brian Logan). She is an Associate Artist at Camden People's Theatre and alumna of Barbican Theatre Open Lab, Tamasha Playwrights and Goldsmiths College, University of London.
Lead Artist (Visual Design & Technology)
Matthew is a visual artist specialising in experimental film and narrative theory. His installations, which merge projection mapping with archival materials, have exhibited internationally. Notable projects include Glacial Waters (Goethe-Institut/EU Creative Commission), a multi-channel holographic film exploring climate change, and the Baden Projekt, an immersive installation examining urban nature and wellbeing. He brings extensive expertise in technical innovation and experiential design to theatrical contexts.
Creative Producer
A contemporary theatre and live arts producer specialising in interdisciplinary performance, Natalie brings a collaborative approach to artist and production development. She works across scales, from intimate experimental works to large-scale touring productions, supporting artists to realise ambitious technical and creative visions. Currently leading on strategic direction, finance and production management for the David Glass Ensemble and H2DANCE, she combines practical expertise with long-term strategic planning. Her experience spans fundraising, casting, marketing and administrative oversight. She holds an MA in Theatre Arts and BA in Theatre, Film & TV Studies from Goldsmiths University, bringing over two decades of professional experience to each project she undertakes.
- Brittany Wallis - Production Assistant & Creative Access Support
The Acts, Barbican Showcase Production:
- Christopher Zero - Production Assistant (Associate Designer)
CRIPtic Arts:
- Jamie Hale - Director
- Caitlin Richards -Producer
- Jack Wakely - Development Producer
- Rudzani Moleya - Assistant Director
- Phoebe Kemp -Movement Director
- Stella Kailides - Stage Manager
- Damien Stanton - Set, Props & Costume Designer
- Al Simpson - Lighting Designer
- Oliver Vibrans - Sound Designer
- Rachel Sampley - Creative Caption Designer
- FlawBored - Audio Description Consultant
- David Ellington - BSL Consultant
- Anna Kitson - BSL Performance Interpreter
- Luke Rogers - Project Coordinator