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In the first of our web exclusive monthly themed features we look at interesting and innovative ways to engage with service users, Graham Hopkins opens the curtains on the use of theatre and drama.

In his famous song, Noel Coward advised Mrs Worthington not to put her daughter on the stage as, notwithstanding Miss Worthington’s perceived personal shortcomings, “the profession is overcrowded and the struggle's pretty tough.” The art of acting is as old as man, making its premiere in ritual dance and song. Its history may be noble but its practitioners have, until relatively recently, been considered anything but by their contemporaries.

Actors in Shakespeare’s day were considered little more than rogues and vagabonds. Only in the nineteenth century - which saw a knighthood for Henry Irving in 1895 - did the words “actor” and “respectability” take a bow in the same sentence.

Although still overcrowded and a struggle today, the acting profession is seen as glamorous and well-rewarded, thanks (in the main) to film and television, and thus more attractive and appealing. Watching people act is part and parcel of everyday life. And, indeed, most if not all people act from time to time: whether telling a joke or recounting something that happened, an element of acting comes into play. Maybe we’re all actors at heart.

So, it’s little wonder that more and more social care and user organisations are turning to theatre and drama as a medium for putting a message across, training, personal development or therapy.

Using, for example, people with learning disabilities to perform short sketches or mini-plays that present a “message” can be very powerful. In October this year the First Choice Theatre Company, a learning disabled group, presented It’s My Life at the social services information network (SSIN) conference in Nottingham. SSIN is the representative body of information officers who work in social services. The short play looked at “who makes the decisions that affect the lives of people with learning difficulties” and proved to be the hit of the conference.

Fist Choice began life at Friary House day service in Newark. Money from Nottinghamshire county council’s fund for the disabled special initiative grant, and a further grant from Newark & Sherwood district council, was used to introduce drama to the service users. Working with Bamboozle, a Leicester-based theatre company, 13 users discussed and explored things that were important to them, and a script was born.

“I love drama,” declared First Choice’s Christine Craven. “I enjoy having the audience look at you. And I do a curtsy!” Sharon Walker was very clear what acting has done for her: “Drama has built my confidence and I have since moved out into supported housing. I like doing it for social services professionals to watch us. And it gives us the confidence to tell the staff and our parents what we want and don’t want.” Does it work? “Yes!” she replies. But then thinks about it for a second. “Well, some times it does, some times it doesn’t.” Has doing drama changed you? “It’s changed us all,” she says. “I’ve blossomed! We’ve all blossomed because of the drama.”

Emma Dawson says she was scared at first especially performing in front of people she didn’t know, but she really enjoys it now: “Drama is fantastic,” she says. And everyone agrees except one - Adrian Deldardo. “Drama’s not my favourite,” he says. “I love my singing. Love Me Tender is my favourite.” And with encouragement from the cast, Adrian performed his favourite song - and very well, too.

The democratic nature of drama provides a well of options and inspiration that can never run dry. Young offenders and those who misuse drugs and alcohol are generally those with low self-esteem and limited life opportunities. The stage can offer a positive alternative to the syringe, the curtain-call an alternative to crime.

Michael Wicherek, who has trained in social work, and thus is well-placed to understand both care and theatrical worlds, is artistic director of Box Clever theatre company. His company has worked, in collaboration with the National Theatre, most recently with Lewisham youth offending team (YOT), and has completed a major project with Cambridgeshire drug action team. “From the company’s point of view,” he says, “we work with young people in a way that explores their life issues. It’s hugely rewarding for the young people and for us - but not in a do-good-ing kind of way - because we honestly believe that drama opens doors for young people.”

Engaging with young people often on the edge, says Wicherek, means “making every effort to involve artists of all disciplines - writers, actors, performance artists, video artists - in the hope of stimulating them with a variety of opportunities.”

Having worked for 10 years in this field, Wicherek is conscious that things happen in fits and starts. “There is still a wariness about investing in this kind of work from a welfare point of view,” he says. “Also the arts world never considered this type of work as viable.” So rather than plunge in and plan it properly, both sides “explore and support it a bit.”

However, he remains optimistic: “sitting down on an equal basis with the YOT and primary care trust is a great step forward,” he says. Wicherek’s partners may have a message to get across but that must not be at the cost of the artistic quality of the product. He believes there is a need to sit down with people to identify and agree objectives with each piece of work. Not only will this help with evaluations of success, but of course, could lead to more investment and involvement.

As with Box Clever, the Clean Break Theatre Company look to provide a range of opportunities. Clean Break is the UK's only women's theatre company for ex-offenders, prisoners, ex-prisoners and women who have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. The company believes in providing opportunities for these women to develop skills, confidence and creativity. Founded by two women prisoners in 1979 the company today runs an accredited education and training programme in theatre and performing arts, as well as annually touring a professional theatre production on the theme of women and crime.

The education and training programme includes short courses in acting, dance, video skills, creative writing, storytelling and theatre technical skills. Women can go on to take a year-long, part-time Access to Theatre in the Community course and following this have an opportunity to train as a drama workshop leader in the community on an NVQ accredited scheme.

It seems fair to say that most non-professional social care and drama liaisons at the moment tend to be issue-led rather than artistic-led. And while this clearly works - as First Choice proved in Nottingham - this maybe because audiences haven’t seen user groups present an argument, demand or idea in this way before. It’s the thought, presentation and effect that are being applauded at the end. But are they being applauded for their acting or for being learning disabled people who are acting?

This conundrum is being faced by the Shyster theatre company (see showcase study below). “Why label us a learning disabled? Why can't we just be a company of performers? At the moment somehow we have to be both,” says artistic director Richard Hayhow. “There are strengths in both views, particularly if you accept the premise that learning disabled performers have not only been denied access to theatre making but also that that they have a unique contribution to make to theatrical innovation.”

Similarly, the London-based Strathcona Theatre Company, founded in 1982, is a national touring company, employing eight professional actors with learning disabilities, who devise physical theatre pieces, with the assistance of two directors. During this time, Strathcona has been producing work of the highest artistic standards which appeals to disabled and non-disabled audiences alike. As well as touring productions Strathcona gives workshops and short demonstration performances, undertake residencies, and devise education projects and training programmes.

However, many learning and physically disabled adults want to be judged on their acting ability rather than their disability. But there are so few opportunities to do so professionally - in the sense of being skilled, proficient and expert. And even less to do so professionally - in the sense of making a living - or part-living out of it.

Graeae (pronounced gray-eye) is Britain’s foremost theatre company of people with physical and sensory impairments. Founded in 1980 by Nabil Shaban and Richard Tomlinson, it takes its name from Greek mythology: Graeae are the three "old women" or "grey ones" who were grey-haired from birth and have only one eye and one tooth between them. They are Enyo ("horror"), Deino ("dread") and Pemphredo ("alarm") and they are the sisters and guardians of the Gorgons (three sisters with snakes for hair whose look turns the beholder to stone). Nice family.

Graeae’s (that is, the theatre company’s) aim is to redress the exclusion of people with physical and sensory impairments from performance and is involved in training, young people’s theatre, outreach and education. The board of management, staff, directors, actors and writers are mainly people with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. Indicative of its battle against the odds is that it has no theatre space to call its own. Spiritedly, the company refuses to play at theatrical venues that do not have disabled access both at the front and back.

However, a number of small professional companies of learning disabled actors are increasingly attaching themselves to theatres and are gaining recognition, such as the Coventry-based Shysters. This year the charity organisation Voice UK - a national support and information group for adults and children with learning disabilities who have experienced crime or abuse - received a grant to produce a training video for people with learning disabilities on how to assert themselves.

The organisation thought it a good idea to produce a video drama following the day in a life of a learning disabled woman. Perhaps uniquely in the growing genre of training videos, it decided to only use professional actors with learning disabilities, and to bring in a commercial film company to co-produce it. The Shysters provided the three actors to play the disabled roles. It was, as Box Clever’s Michael Wicherek believed to be the way forward, an attempt to take a message but deliver it with dramatic quality and production values that stand up in their own right.

Voice UK contracted the Deryshire-based Creative Forum, who had an impressive track record in commercial production - with clients including Guinness and Heinz. With full camera, lighting and sound crew the three-day shooting schedule was an intense but enjoyable experience. “Working with a group of people who were so committed was an extremely rewarding experience and very refreshing,” says Creative Forum’s Tony Judge, director of the Assert Yourself video. “The project had its challenges though - some of the subject matter was quite difficult to visualise let alone film, and this put quite a lot of demands on the actors who had bags of stage presence but little TV experience, so they had to learn a whole new approach.” But he adds: “I never thought I’d ever say, ‘I’m working with a bunch of Shysters’ and enjoy it so much!”

Actors talk about the challenge of “becoming” someone else. For a while they stop being themselves. For people with disabilities or mental health needs so much in society prevents them even being themselves. 

For most, however, it’s a chance to do something different, a chance to shine. It’s a challenge physically and mentally (learning lines) and it takes some bottle. The process of learning, rehearsing and performing can positively improve your well-being. It can improve confidence and raise self-esteem and (certainly while the applause is thundering) fill you with a sense of achievement. It can take you out of the day-to-day drudgery and inspire and motivate you. It can help you understand and develop relationships. It can improve your communication and negotiation skills. And it’s enjoyable, to boot. You can see why the Worthington women, despite the noble knight’s opposition, thought the stage worthwhile.

Have you used drama effectively in social care? Tell us about it and we may feature your success story in our BEST PRACTICE section on the web.

RESOURCES AND CONTACTS

For The Shysters
Richard Hayhow – artistic director
Kathy Joyce – associate director
Sue Bosworth-Jarvis – company administrator
Sunny Patel – company assistant.

Tel: 024 7625 6431 ext 214
Email: otc@belgrade.co.uk

First Choice
Contact support worker Lee Harbour on 01636 707 611

Box Clever
12G1 The Leathermarket
Weston Street
London
SE1 3ER

Tel: 020 7357 0550
e-mail: admin@boxclev.demon.co.uk
Web: www.boxclev.demon.co.uk

Clean Break Theatre Company
2 Patshull Road
London
NW5 2LB.
Tel: 020 7482 8600

Strathcona Theatre Company
Unit K03
Tower Bridge Business Complex
100 Clements Road
London SE16 3DG

Tel: 020 7740 2440
Fax: 020 7394 1232
e-mail: stc@strathco.demon.co.uk
Web: www.strathco.demon.co.uk

Creative Forum
Thorpe Farm
32 High Street
Tibshelf
Derbyshire DE55 5NY

Tel: 01773 591 289
Fax: 01773 591 298
e-mail: info@creativeforum.co.uk
Website: www.creativeforum.co.uk

Voice UK
Tel: 01332 202 555
e-mail: voice@clara.co.uk
Web: www.voiceuk.clara.net