BRADFORD theatre company Mind the Gap is exploring the truths and myths about learning disability and parenthood in a hard-hitting new play.

Described as "fast moving, raw and eye opening," Mia challenges the often taken for granted idea of being a parent.

Created and directed by Mind the Gap’s resident director Joyce Nga Yu Lee and performed by four learning disabled actors, the production begins a national tour with three performances at the company's Manningham studios this month.

Mia is part of a wider project exploring learning disability and parenthood called Daughters of Fortune. Funded with a £40,000 grant from the Wellcome Trust, the project has seen Mind the Gap working with medical experts, geneticists, social workers, council officers and an independent researcher.

As part of the Daughters of Fortune project, Mind the Gap - England's largest learning disability theatre company creating work for UK and international audiences - is also working on a site sensitive, large-scale outdoor spectacle called Zara, planned for 2018.

Director Joyce Nga Yu Lee says: “Poignant stories of people with learning disabilities and their experiences of parenthood happen every day, but we rarely hear people discussing them. I decided to tackle the issue head on by creating this fast moving, contemporary performance based on real life stories of parents with learning disabilities.

"It’s a very complicated subject to tackle but Mia aims to reflect the complexity through the interplay of style, pace and an emotional journey. It’s a wild ride!”

In May Mind the Gap held a work-in-progress performance of Mia, which had positive feedback.

It was described as "captivating and raw", with one audience member commenting: “Parenting is always terrifying - imagine if you had to defend your right to keep your child.”

Mia continues a strand of projects exploring issues surrounding learning disability, including Contained, a play launched last year starring Liam Bairstow who plays Alex Warner in Coronation Street. Liam is the soap's only cast member with Down's Syndrome.

Alongside Mia, Mind the Gap is also touring a sister piece called Anna; an interactive Forum Theatre performance exploring scenarios that may be experienced by learning disabled people when they consider being, or become, a parent. Anna will be appearing alongside Mia at venues across the tour.

Forum Theatre presents scenarios that participants watch, then suggest changes to, to see if they can change the outcome. The performers then play out those changes, or participants can ‘step in’ and act out the scene themselves to see what would happen.

  •  Mia, suitable for ages 14-plus, will be performed at the Mind the Gap Studios, Silk Warehouse, Lister Mills, Bradford, on September 27 at 7.30pm and September 28 at 1pm and 7.30pm. Each performance will be followed by a post-show discussion.

Anna, suitable for ages 16-plus, is led by a team of three professional learning disabled performers and a facilitator. It runs at the same venue on October 18 at 10am and October 19 at 10am and 1.30pm.

To book tickets, call 01274 487390 or visit mind-the-gap.org.uk