Max Olman was 11 years old when they started noticing they were sick. “My main symptoms at that point were breathlessness and fainting. I can just remember years upon years of medical gaslighting, gaslighting within my family, even if it wasn’t purposeful, because I do have asthma, which I grew up with. So everyone’s like ‘It’s your asthma. You’re okay.’ It was not OK.”
It wasn’t until about five years later that a GP asked them a crucial question: “Do you eat lots of salt?” Their response was, “Yeah, I sit with the salt by my bed. I eat it all the time.” Then: “Have you heard of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)?”
They replied: “I’ve heard of it on TikTok, but no, I don’t really know anything about it.”
After a referral to a cardiologist, Olman was diagnosed with the chronic condition, along with Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder, in April 2023. “Once I had answers, I was able to walk into school, go to the counsellor, and be like, ‘I have this. You need to help me. This is why.’ And I felt like I had so much credibility in saying ‘I’m sick’, and that completely changed everything for me, and especially because I am neurodivergent. That was so hard to communicate. I didn’t know I was neurodivergent until 2024 when I got both the ADHD and autism assessment.”
Now, on the cusp of 18, Olman is looking back on a “pivotal age” of their life in their cabaret show SICK-STEEN. “[It was a] moment for me, where I was able to be like ‘I’m disabled. I’m sick. I’m done sulking about it. I’m done pretending it doesn’t exist. I’m accepting it and I want everyone to accept it.’ I want other people to accept their experience too.”
The show began as a six-minute set for Hive Inspire Inc.’s Chrysalis in 2024, where they connected with other young people with disabilities and became “increasingly aware” of gaps in media regarding disability. “I want to fill those gaps. I want to make people with disabilities feel like they have a space, and that they don’t just have to grow up and find their own way, which is what I had to do.” Olman is also holding space for adults and older people with disabilities who “still haven’t found their community.”
They add: “It’s about connection and celebrating disabled joy, while being very aware of the existence of ableism and acknowledging that… and destigmatising the existence of disabled people; young, old, whatever they look like, whoever they are.”
Olman’s passion for cabaret was ignited around age 14 after their sister introduced them to the feminist themes of local artist Millicent Sarre. Sarre is their “biggest inspiration” and serves as their mentor and vocal coach. “She has taught me literally everything I know, and the way I have responded to her art over the years is absolutely all I want for other people to respond to my own art.”
As a Fringe Fund Recipient, Olman acknowledges that, without financial support, “[SICK-STEEN] would not be anything more than an idea or a dream.”
They say: “I have never been able to work… so being able to be supported by Fringe to begin what I want to be my career – I feel very seen… and celebrated.” They want to “give back to [their] community” who have supported them by supplying free care packages, containing sunflower lanyards, compression socks and ibuprofen, to disabled folk who attend the show. There might also be cake. “I want everyone to be able to leave the show being a tiny bit more understanding about disability in every appearance. While [being] disabled means you are unable to do things… it doesn’t mean that you’re not valuable, worthy [or] important.”
SICK-STEEN, Prompt Creative Centre, until 15 March