Reflections on injury, resilience, community, family & the art of saying “Yes.”
A year ago last month, I broke my back. Not metaphorically—on holiday in Croatia. We were at the end of a gorgeous tour, and the lovely guide said ‘one more surprise’, the boat pulled into a choppy cove for a spot of cliff jumping, there was a little 4 metre jump and a big 9 metre jump. I’d never done it before and thought YES AND why the heck not.
Well, turns out there is a reason to not try new dangerous stuff, as landing like a cannonball from 9 metres causes all kinds of problems at my age! I managed to give myself a double-compressed fracture of the spine, a couple of vertebrae got squished, and I lost an inch in height! Fast forward 13 months, and I’ve just turned 46. I’m still standing (mostly), and the 24/7 back brace is long gone, I’m still managing all things AndAlso-y, and still learning—often the hard way.
🌀 Chores, Kids & Improv Are More Connected Than You’d Think
Rehabilitation meant relearning how to do day-to-day tasks: lifting laundry, pushing the shopping trolley, not wrestling with my boys, and reffing, rather than smashing my boys at basketball matches in the garden. Every movement felt precarious, like starting a scene with nothing but uncertainty, but improv had already taught me how to respond.
Because improv (and managing an arts company) is about:
- Staying present, even when your spine—or scene partner—throws you off-balance
- Saying “Yes” to reality, then making it work
- Keeping momentum, even if every bend or squat hurts
- Helping my team (and family) feel seen and supported, even when I felt weak
- Having no plan and trusting discovery
🤹♀️ Manager Life, Mum Life, and the Middle of the Scene
Turning 46, managing AndAlso, and being mum to two boys means life often feels like one big improv scene:
- I’m negotiating schedules while making school lunches
- Planning social media promos during laundry cycles
- Chasing venues between referee calls in our garden rugby matches
And here’s the truth: that everyday mayhem is like improv—heart-wrenching, hilarious, unpredictable—and richer because of every spill, twist, and surprise.
The more life we juggle, the deeper our ability to adapt, connect, and laugh. We stop trying to be perfect orchestrators and start simply trusting the scene.
💜 A Heartfelt Thanks to My Brighton Community
Over the past year, the AndAlso Improv family and my own family in Brighton have been incredible:
- Fabulous colleagues who’ve stepped in when I couldn’t be in the &Also saddle
- My boys—who’ve adjusted their games (& wrestling energy) so Mum could still join in
- My partner—who handled the household/kiddie chaos so I could focus on healing last summer
You’ve all taught me that life, improv—and leadership—means creating space for gentleness, collaboration, creativity… yes, and, biscuits, lots of biscuits (because I’m 46 now).
🎉 What’s Coming?
Will my back ever be “perfect”? Probably not. But something deeper in me feels more whole—because this injury didn’t break me, it rebuilt me.
We’ve got new admin systems coming, fresh classes in the autumn, upcoming shows our wonderful team are in, and—most importantly—more room for human connection. If you’ve ever wondered about improv, resilience, or just want a community that says “Yes” to life’s messy beauty, come join us.
Say yes. Show up. You don’t have to be ready—you just need to begin.