About this event

Roy Claire Potter has worked with a team of fellow artists, radio astronomers, amateur radio operators, musicians and creative consultants to research and develop ‘COMMS FAIL’, a multicomponent artwork that will unfold throughout 2026. Several iterations including, a performance, a live radio broadcast, an album with booklet, and a sculptural installation explore the grammar of communicative resilience and remote connection by amplifying autistic perspectives. On Saturday 2nd May at the Bluecoat, a staged performance written for three voices with music composed by Carmel Smickersgill, will invite a live audience to help produce a radio broadcast for a remote audience. There will be gentle interaction with ushers and performers to pick your preferred spot to enjoy the action, and to contribute by making sounds or being quiet, moving props, or being a witness.⁠. The performance and simultaneous radio broadcast lasts for 1 hour and begins with ushers welcoming guests into a large, dimmed performance space. Live audio description of the audience settling in and actors setting up their space will be audible in the room at first, before transferring to headsets. Throughout the performance soft white spotlights occasionally turn red, acting as a cue for the live audience to interact with sound-making props to herald listeners elsewhere. COMMS FAIL is mixed live for broadcast on Resonance FM online and 104.4 FM in Central London Research and development has been generously supported by Art Explora, Paris, and informed by consultancy from Erik Chancy (LB1KJ) of Norsk Radio Relæ Liga, Philippe Zarka, CNRS Research Director at Paris Observatory, and by the work of Professor Philippa Browning at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. Later in 2026, a live album documenting the performance will be released on Cafe OTO’s digital record label TAKUROKU along with a booklet published under their new imprint OTOHON, containing the script and the visual scores that informed the music. All proceeds will go to National Autistic Society, UK. This project is an Unlimited UK Partner Award 2025 commission with Liverpool Biennial made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England. Free, booking required