How do you make Theatre with Disabled Young People? - Bob Christer

Let’s face it; trying to create Theatre with a group of teenagers can be tricky. Possibly even trickier if the teenagers in question have a range of disabilities and additional needs. How do you possibly work with such a diverse group to create a performance in a week?


Last week we did just that, working with Leicester City Council’s Disabled Children’s Services and eleven young people at Embrace Arts at the RA Centre. As is the case with the generic umbrella term of ‘Disability’, the young people had a wide range of impairments, from learning disabilities and difficulties to physical disabilities, but, as with all Speakeasy projects, we were much more interested in their abilities, their talents; how we could facilitate a week of activity that allowed them to access Theatre on their own terms. This is an approach that is not just about working with disabled young people, but one of Speakeasy’s core values.


The week itself was a huge success, with each of the young people able to contribute during the devising process, as well as having a role during the performance itself. Those who felt stronger verbally, used those skills to communicate the story to the audience, those who felt more able to express themselves through movement created landscapes for our story to journey through, and characters along the way. One of the young people even introduced and concluded the piece, as well as taking a role within the performance. But as with any project of this nature, it was not the end product that was the most important achievement of the week, but the engagement and development of the young people’s skills and sense of self.


So, how do you make Theatre with Disabled Young People? Well for us, the same way that you would make Theatre with any group of people. That’s not to say that each group won’t be different, or there is a one-size-fits-all approach to our work, but rather by being open to possibilities, allowing individuals to express themselves, their ideas, their creativity, a truly inclusive approach can be nurtured, which in turn will surely nurture those involved. Put simply rather than focussing solely on the negatives that need work, we strive to take time to find those positives, to take risks. I mean, what better place is there to take risks, and try things out, without fear of failure, than in a safe nurturing drama workshop environment?


If you are interested in Speakeasy’s methodology, please do take a look at the four training sessions we will be running October- December 2010. http://www.speakeasytheatre.co.uk/booking_now.htm#cpd