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🎭 Playing Nadia, Healing Me

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 It's been a while... I have been busy, burnt out, joyful, stressed... chasing my tail and playing an absolute dream role... Playing Nadia Kovlova in Give Us a Sign has been an unexpected balm. She’s half Vlada Bulkakova, half Anna Chapman, with a sprinkling of that one inscrutable blonde Russian model on Instagram who always looks like she’s judging your fashion choices from a marble balcony. There’s something delicious about leaning into that stereotype—mocking my own Eastern European roots with a wink and a smirk in a sympathetic way. It’s been cathartic, even empowering. And lately, I’ve needed that. Because offstage, things haven’t exactly been velvet and roses. Just before I was told by the consultant that my lungs were miraculously clear, I’d had not one but two appointments with a nurse who could only be described as a battle axe in orthopedic clogs. She looked me dead in the eye and said I’d never get better. That pseudomonas would take me out faster than the CVID. Th...
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A root canal, some disco, and a surprisingly emotional chicken curry 🍛

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So… it’s been a week . There was a root canal (ew, 😵‍💫), a shawarma-fuelled sunset in Holland Park 🌯🌇, a TooGoodToGo bag so generous it fed my mum and brother  until Wednesday (£3!! 😳), and a whirlwind of theatre magic in between. Somehow, I’m still upright. Barely. But upright. VISION: The Musical rehearsals have been on fire lately 🔥—and honestly, Saturday was one of the best days I’ve had in ages. Disco Miller is now officially my favourite number. The whole vibe was so much Saturday Night Fever energy—glam, glitter, and just the right amount of emotional unravelling under stage lights . I adored hanging out with the cast too—gorgeous humans, the lot of them. Also… I was sent a pic from our MD of our VISION poster on the Tube . On the Tube , darling!! 🚇🎭 I don’t think I’ve ever squealed quite like that in public. It’s real . The promo videos have been released too and they’re phenomenal—so much heart, beauty, and craft behind every shot. I feel genuinely priv...
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A Cheeky Update This Week!

🎭 Theatre, Tears, and Salmon: A Week in My Life So! I’ve been cast in Give Us a Sign by the ridiculously talented Tony Domaille. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to love this character as much as I do—but she’s fierce, layered, and unapologetically herself. Which, let’s face it, feels very on-brand for me lately. Rehearsals have been intense in the best way. There's something about throwing yourself into a role that makes everything else fade for a bit—like I get to breathe differently on stage. It’s not easy balancing it all with my health stuff, but somehow, when I’m acting, it feels less like surviving and more like living . 🎭 Billy Elliot Broke Us (In a Good Way) I also went to see Billy Elliot with my bestie this week, and… yeah. We bawled . Me during Grandma’s Song , obviously (I mean, ouch ), and him during Expressing Yourself , which absolutely wrecked him in the gentlest way. That moment where a kid just is himself and refuses to shrink for anyone? We both felt th...
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A Weekend of Rehearsals and Adventure in London

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Notting Hill is so Boujie and Aesthetic! The rent in one of these flats is on average 4k a MONTH! This past weekend, I found myself in London for rehearsals, staying in a beautiful little hostel in Notting Hill. It was my own private room, and I felt incredibly safe—so clean and well-maintained that I could truly relax. A rare thing when traveling, especially with my health concerns. Of course, I had to do my infusion a couple of days early, which meant I was traveling from Cardiff to London feeling the delightful aftereffects of an infusion hangover. Never ideal, but what can you do? The Hostel: A Hidden Gem free fooooood?! The actual hostel was gorgeous—far beyond what I had expected. It had a peaceful garden space, shared bathrooms that were cleaned hourly (which, as any seasoned traveller will know, is an absolute game-changer), and free hot meals for guests. There was even a gym and wellness centre, though I didn't go in. Still, it’s lovely knowing it’s there. study room-s...
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Navigating the Stress of Disability Reforms: A Day of Self-Care and Reflection

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Today, the weight of the disability reforms hit me hard. The rhetoric surrounding disabled people needing to "try harder" or "fit in" is exhausting, and the pressure to justify my existence, let alone my needs, feels overwhelming. I found myself spiralling into a state of stress, and I knew I needed to step back and take some time for myself. British Politics pisses me off at the best of times, and this wasn't the type of PMQs sesh I could take the piss out of, and it sent me into a panic attack. Irrationl. It left me feeling like a rat in a cage, and I had to spend that restless energy somehow! I started with a short walk, just enough to get some fresh air and clear my head. Then, I went to the spa—one of the few places where I truly feel at ease. I am incredibly grateful to be a member, as it allows me to access the sauna, which always helps with my breathing, especially now. My chest is still full of mucus from the flu, and the warmth of the sauna seemed to ...
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Stretched Thin: Chronic Illness, Work, and Loneliness

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  The past few weeks have been incredibly difficult. Chronic illness always brings its own kind of isolation, but lately, it has felt sharper—more present. I feel stretched so thin I might just disappear altogether. And if something had to give, of course, it was work. Not that you could even call it a “job” in the traditional sense. I work on a zero-hours contract, solely on call time and commission because my condition fluctuates too much for a set schedule. Even with that level of accommodation, I almost lost my job this week—if you can call it that. I woke up to an email threatening to suspend my account if I didn’t log in. So, I put everything on hold, cancelled a doctor’s appointment, and worked, because I had no choice. But I still have to attend a respiratory appointment later this week—an hour away—and all things considered, that’s non-negotiable. It’s exhausting, and not just physically. My social battery is utterly fried. I expected that, to a degree. The afterparty fo...
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Infusions, Nostalgia, and Theatrical Wasp Dramas

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Mama cooked for dinner tonight, because I didn't have the spoons! I am so grateful!!!  Today has been one of those days where the past and present seem to blur together—equal parts routine, nostalgia, and absurdity. Plasma Infusion day!  My morning started, with my weekly Hizentra plasma infusion. It’s a lifeline, quite literally. Every week, I sit down, prepare my supplies, and let the immunoglobulin drip into my body, replacing what my immune system fails to produce. It’s a process that takes time and patience, but it keeps me going. I made sure to stay hydrated, drinking water to keep the post-infusion headache at bay, but my mind was elsewhere. I was mourning the loss of Michelle Trachtenberg. It hit me in a way I didn’t expect—she was such a big part of the shows I grew up with, especially Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Dawn Summers was a divisive character, but I always had a soft spot for her. Maybe it was because she was the outsider trying to prove herself, constantly fig...
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