Jess Telling

Jess has joined Walk the Plank’s crew as an Emerging Creative. As an autistic theatre maker, playwright, facilitator, and producer, Jess is eager to earn her sea legs in the world of outdoor arts.

Graduating from her English and Drama degree from the University of Manchester in 2024, Jess went on to direct and write her debut play, Chameleon, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving 4* reviews and a nomination for the Actually Autistic Award recognising autistic excellence at the Fringe, she firmly believes the necessity for accessible theatre and other events and authentic representation of autism in the entertainment industry.

After another public run of Chameleon in 2025, supported using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Jess worked with Writing East Midlands on their Beyond the Spectrum project as a creative writing facilitator run by and for autistic adults, encouraging a safe and creative space for autistic voices. Jess also works as an emerging artist and facilitator for Salford-based DIY Theatre company which empowers learning-disabled members and students to creatively express themselves. Jess also co-authored this research article with AuDHD PhD Researcher Sarah Jane Nuttall, on the back of 'Chameleon'. Not only did they write this research article to draw attention to the persistency of misinformation and misrepresentation of autistic experiences in the theatrical landscape but, to also draw attention to the widespread need for accessible theatre. The paper was published in Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture's 2026 Spring Edition.

When she’s not digging into everything Walk the Plank can offer, Jess is most likely curling up with a good book and her cat or, taking a board game far too seriously.