Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon

We are now planning for Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon to travel to a second tour. Are you interested in hosting or arranging a live performance of Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon on our next tour? Please tell us here and include a contact email address

The Spring 2026 tour of Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon is now complete. Almost 1500 people saw the play across 21 performances in Liverpool and London.

If you came to a show, please tell us how the show spoke to you

Later in 2026, we will share Shane Telemacque's behind-the-scenes docufilm, which will explore how the play was made and the journey we are on together.

Spring 2026 tour dates (finished)

Sunday 19th April 3pm - Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool

Monday 20th April 9:30am - British Society of Haematology ASM, Liverpool (for conference attendees)

Tuesday 21st April 3-5pm - Brady Centre, Whitechapel (with creative health workshop)

Wednesday 22nd April 1pm - Lewisham Hospital (for Lewisham staff)

Wednesday 22nd April 6:30pm - UCL, Bloomsbury

Thursday 23rd April, 5:30pm - Great Hall, North Wing, St Barts Hospital

Friday 24th April 6pm - Imperial College London, White City (joint talk and event with Sickle Cell Society) - SOLD OUT

Monday 27th April 12:30pm - St George's Hospital, Tooting

Monday 27th April 6pm - Cinema in the Power Station, Battersea - SOLD OUT

Tuesday 28th April 1pm - Queens Hospital, Romford (for BHRUT staff)

Tuesday 28th April 6:30pm - City St George's, Clerkenwell

Wednesday 29th April 5:30pm - Queen Mary University of London, Whitechapel

Thursday 30th April 5:30pm - Croydon Vision Bedford Hall, Croydon - SOLD OUT

Friday 1st May 6pm - Greenwood Theatre, near London Bridge - SOLD OUT

Saturday 2nd May - Riverside Studios, Hammersmith (rehearsed reading and post-show discussion)

Tuesday 5th May 5:30pm - Chat's Palace, Hackney - SOLD OUT

Tuesday 5th May 7:45pm - Chat's Palace, Hackney - SOLD OUT

Wednesday 6th May 5:30pm - Hammersmith Hospital, Hammersmith

Thursday 7th May 1pm - Anthony Nolan (for Anthony Nolan staff)

Thursday 7th May 7pm - Gina's Cafe, Tottenham - SOLD OUT

An exploration of care for people experiencing sickle cell crises — imagined in a parallel universe.

Written by Mojisola Adebayo. Directed by Gail Babb

Associate Director Estella Daniels

Scenography and Costume Design Miriam Nabarro

Co-Costume Design and Maker Stella Cecil

Graphic Design Akanji Studio

Sound Design Kayode Gomez

Produced by the Sickle Cell Theatre Collective (Kofi Amankwah, Estella Daniels, Stephen Hibbs), in association with Tamasha

Associate Producer Layla Chowdhury

General Manager Tamasha

Stage Manager Annie-Céléste Taylor

Company Manager Tunji Falana

Documentary Filmmaker Shane Telemacque

Production Therapist Dawn Estefan

Cast:

"Bro" - Omar Austin

"Sis" - Juliet Agnes

"Doc" - Alistair Hall

The Play

Bro sits on a metal hospital chair, in a windowless A&E. It feels as though a thousand tiny hammers are banging inside his bones.

Above, Sis pilots the Starship Wellness. She's on a rescue mission but she can't find her brother, can't see him anywhere.

—

Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon is a powerful and imaginative invitation to healthcare professionals, people living with sickle cell, and the wider public to reflect on what compassionate, effective hospital care could look like for people experiencing sickle cell crises.

Drawing on research from the Exploring Practices of Care (EPOC4) study and co-created with people living with sickle cell, a haematologist, and theatre makers, the play explores urgent questions about pain, trust, and care in our health systems.

—

Content warning: References to racism, sickle cell crises, and challenging hospital experiences.

Recommended age: 14+

The Research

Exploring practices of care during sickle cell crises (EPOC4) is a research study led by Dr Stephen Hibbs at Queen Mary University of London. It asks a simple but urgent question: what does good care look like for people experiencing a sickle cell crisis — and how do we make it happen?

Between 2023 and 2025, Stephen worked closely with people living with sickle cell — through life story interviews, regular visits at home and in hospital, and conversations during moments of crisis. He also observed and interviewed healthcare professionals across three East London hospitals, building a detailed picture of care as it is experienced and delivered.

While Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon is a fictional play set in another world, it is grounded in real stories, real encounters, and the insights of this research.

This research is generously supported by the Wellcome Trust through a Health Advances in Underrepresented Populations (HARP) Doctoral Research Fellowship (Grant number: 223500/Z/21/Z).

The Documentary Film

Filmmaker Shane Telemacque has been following the journey of Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon since its earliest beginnings — long before it even had a title.

His documentary captures the process behind the play: the collaborations, the questions, and the lived experiences that have shaped it. Through behind-the-scenes footage, the film explores not just how the work was made, but why it matters - and where it might go next.

The film is expected to be released in August 2026.

Watch this space.

Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon is generously supported by funding from Arts Council England, the Wellcome Trust, Queen Mary University of London, the Curriers Millenium Healthcare Bursary, HaemSTAR, and an anonymous private donor.

We also gratefully acknowledge support-in-kind from the National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Brixton House, and BLOC.