“We are here to get our voice heard throughout all types of media”-Paige

Paige, an apprentice at The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company, already sees the organisation as her second home. Having worked with the members of The Twisting Ducks and helping them with different creative tasks, as learning the lines of the song lyrics or drawing pictures, Paige is incredibly proud and happy to associate herself with The Twisting Ducks. Vulnerable people with learning disabilities and autism have always been an area of primary concern for Paige, therefore, she decided to take an apprenticeship at the Twisting Ducks Theatre Company. “Well, I always wanted to know about vulnerable people, vulnerable adults with learning disabilities and autism”, she says. According to Paige, there is a very wide range of learning disabilities and autism. “You will never meet two people with the same learning disability or the same type of autism”, says Paige. “As I was very interested in a wide range of this, I wanted to help people. What I do- changes people’s life in a way.” The young apprentice is involved in assisting Twisting Ducks members in promoting values of people with learning disabilities and raising awareness of equality and diversity problems. “I am going to help with the night club for people with learning disabilities. A lot of people would not do that, if we didn’t exist, if ‘Fresh’ Night Club didn’t exist. I promote that and get that out there.” Being supportive is what Paige calls everyone for. She says that many people do not know about disabilities, autism and how big autism is. “The autism spectrum is massive. And we are here to get our voice heard throughout all types of media, we want people to support what we do.” As for the main purpose of the organisation, Paige confidently says that its key aim is to give adults, who don’t have a voice, a voice. That voice reflects all the aspects of being a part of the society, as well as being an independent person with a right to have a paid work. “Adults with learning disabilities are not really given an opportunity to have a paid work and it is mostly volunteers, which is unfair, when a lot of people are capable”, she says. Paige also notes that even at the first sight, humorous and cheerful songs of Twisting Ducks members carry a deep political message about employment, equality, diversity, and other important issues. “With the ‘Twist’ we do a lot of political music, which you will hear in the song called ‘Give us a job’”, says Paige. “We are doing a lot of things about sexuality as well, and the song ‘Stand out from the crowd’ covers everything from sexuality to being yourself”.

Twisting Ducks is a Theatre company for adults with learning disabilities and autism aged 16 and over. It is located in Newcastle Northumberland area at the minute, however, CEO of the company is looking at widening the range due to a number of other adults and younger people with learning disabilities and autism in different parts of the country. Most performances of the Twisting Ducks Theatre Company take place at The West Gate, Community College, and Northern Stage, which is a mainstream theatre in Newcastle.