Year 10 student Evie created her very own podcast, 'Talking in the Dark' to raise awareness about blindness, visual impairment and disability in general, in a happy and light-hearted way. Evie was born with a condition called bilateral anopthalmia, meaning her eyes didn’t develop, and as a result Evie now wears prosthetics. Through the podcast Evie aims to get rid of the stigma and stereotypes around disabilities whilst having fun conversations at the same time! During the interviews Evie will talk to people from all walks of life, including, at times, people with physical conditions like hers, getting to know all about them and the lives that they lead.
Episode 8
(AD: In the image there is a purple background with two distinct photographs on either side. The photograph on the right-hand side is of Evie who is sat behind a grey desk. Evie has shoulder length red hair and is smiling. She is wearing school uniform. The photograph on the left-hand side of the image is of Mat Fraser. Mat has grey hair which is nicely styled. He is smiling broadly and wearing a red crew neck sweater. Mat is sat on a brown sitting chair and is stroking a black cat that is positioned on the arm).
This episode is an absolute treat as earlier this month Evie was lucky enough to interview star of stage and screen, the utterly incredible, Mr Mat Fraser.
Mat, who has a physical disability, has been at the centre of British culture for the past 35 years. Immediately recognisable for his performance work in such shows as American Horror Story and His Dark Materials, Mat is also well known and greatly respected as a staunch advocate for the disabled community.
Through this wonderful conversation Evie and Mat talk about many issues related to disability, including growing up as a ‘Bornie’, the education system, and being an actor. Mat also explains how he created the ground breaking BBC Four series ‘Criptales’, a powerful television project written and performed by disabled people.
This is a sparkling conversation full of fun, humour, and love of life.
There is a reason Mat Fraser is considered a national treasure, his generosity of spirit, his kindness, his talent, and his complete commitment to the disabled community, which he clearly adores, that quite simply knows no bounds! Thank you, Mat. It was a complete joy and privilege to meet and talk with you.