A person wearing a white beanie sits behind the wheel of a car, illuminated by red light, reaching out with one hand towards the windscreen.

A man and a mannequin sit on a platform with a drum kit in front, while an upside-down car—suggesting a life-altering accident—is suspended above them on a dark stage with spotlights.

an Accident / a Life

Multibuy offer

Fri 13 - Sat 14 Nov 2026

Multibuy offer

Venue: Kings Theatre

Marc Brew and world renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui bring a stunning collaboration to the stage for the first time.

A car crash changed Marc Brew’s life forever

When Australian-born dance artist Marc Brew was involved in a car crash, it took him from ballet dancer to paraplegic in a split second.

Now, Brew and world renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui bring their stunning collaboration back to Scotland. an Accident / a Life is a richly theatrical dance memoir that unravels key moments in our lives, exploring difficult things using humour, storytelling, film, music, dance – and a car.

The solo show premiered at Holland Dance Festival in 2024 and was nominated for two National Dance Awards in the UK – Best Modern Choreography and Outstanding Male Modern Performance. The work relates the aftermath of Brew’s momentous accident – his own key moment. It takes the audience on a candid, generous and ultimately life-affirming journey.

Marc Brew’s previous acclaimed solos are For Now I am… and Remember When. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is artistic director of the Ballet of the Grand Théâtre de Genève and an associate artist at Sadler’s Wells, where his award-winning shows include Sutra and Babel. On Broadway, he choreographed the Alanis Morisette musical, Jagged Little Pill.

"Touching, brutal and tender"
The Guardian
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Compellingly dramatic... Remarkable"
The Herald
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"A dance theatre masterclass"
The List
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Meticulously crafted ... a raw and powerful piece of theatre"
Young(ish) Perspective
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A person in a yellow hat and red jacket sits on the floor indoors, reaching towards a vertical screen displaying a forest scene—perhaps reflecting on life after an accident.

A person in a suit and glasses sits in a wheelchair, raising one arm as bright lights shine behind them in a dimly lit setting, embodying strength and resilience after an accident—embracing life with unwavering determination.

A person in a red jacket sits on a tyre, arranging colourful magnetic letters on the underside of an upside-down car—perhaps a moment reflecting on life after an accident—as large projected images of the scene surround them indoors.

A person lies in a bed on stage under a white duvet, whilst a car—hinting at an accident—is suspended upside down above them. Two screens display a savannah landscape at sunset, evoking the fragility of life under dramatic spotlights.

A dancer wearing a yellow knitted hat and dark clothes performs a dramatic pose on stage, one arm reaching upward, embodying the fragility of life. A white car with headlights on hints at an accident in the dimly lit background.

Person wearing a yellow hat and red jumper lies on a dark floor under a spotlight, as if reflecting on life, with their head resting on their arm.

A person in a wheelchair stretches their arms wide on stage, with a car suspended upside down above them in the background—capturing a powerful moment shaped by life after an accident.

A person lies in a hospital bed under blue lighting, attached to a drip, with a blurred image projected in the background, reflecting on life after an accident.

A person in dark clothing lies on their back on a stage, arms outstretched, as if frozen in the aftermath of an accident, illuminated by headlights from a car in the dimly lit setting—a powerful scene reflecting life’s fragile moments.

Marc Brew

Kazutomi Kozuki

Pol Van Den Broek

Marc Brew

Performer and Co-creator

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Director and Co-creator

Susan Hay

Creative Producer

Adam Carrée

Lighting Consultant

Sam Martin-Randerson

Sound Designer/Engineer

Alexandre Dai Castaing

Composition and Instrumentation

Hayley Earlam

Rehearsal Director

Maxime Guislain

Visual Artist

Julia Kent

Cello

Pepijn Van Looy

Designer

Susan Worsfold

Voice Consultant

Veerle Van den Wouwer

Costume Stylist

Yvonne Strain

Access Consultant

Emma-Jane McHenry

Audio Describer

Performance details

Show times: Evening; 7.30pm
Running time: 1 hour 22 minutes, no interval
Age suitability: 14+
Additional information: Potentially disturbing content, emotional turmoil, light strobe sudden drop, loud sounds.

Multibuy offer

This show is eligible for our multibuy offer. Book tickets for three or more eligible shows and get 15% off. Terms and conditions apply

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Discounts

Friends 20% off
Read more about the Friends discount

Concessions £3 off

Accessibility information

Audio described performance Fri 13 November, 7.30pm Sat 14 November, 7.30pm
Touch tours Fri 13 Nov & Sat 14 Nov 6pm
Captioned performance Fri 13 November, 7.30pm Sat 14 November, 7.30pm

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Credits

This production is in honour of, and dedicated to Joanne, Simon and Toby and our families.

A Marc Brew Company and Eastman production.

In co-production with: Perpodium; the Hessisches Staatsballett in the frame of Tanzplattform Rhein-Main a collaboration project between the Hessisches Staatsballett in Staatstheater Darmstadt and Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm; Holland Dance Festival and Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps. In Association with National Theatre of Scotland. Co-commissioned by Tramway and Sadler’s Wells. Developed in residency at the Théâtre National de Bretagne (TNB), Cumbernauld Theatre, The Work Room and De Warande.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. With the support of the Flemish Government and the Belgian Federal Government’s Tax Shelter programme and Creative Scotland.