Ani Sherab: “It has a really strong voice around disability issue”
“Twisting Ducks is an extremely creative theatre company and has really strong voices around issues affecting adults with learning disabilities,” says Ani Sherab, the project support worker.
Projects and Academies
Sherab tells us that the members of the company have created incredibly entertaining formative theatres and academies around all sorts of issues as friendship, health and employment issues. ‘What is up, Duck’ and ‘Person First’, for instance, are some of their projects, which are highly recommended.
Twisting Ducks Theatre Company
There are four fee-based academies for people aged 16+ with learning disabilities and/or autism, including Band Academy, Dance Academy, Performing Arts Academy and DJ Academy. The academies provide opportunities to work with other artists from other charities, to write a play or a musical, and to learn about stagecraft.
Frowning, Ani notes that they are about to start a new project which is at the very early stage around crisis and drop-in, whilst unfortunately there might be some difficult situations for them like dealing with financial issues. “The piece ‘In the spotlight’, which narrates about their daily lives will be back soon,” she adds.
Ani: Twisting Ducks Film Launch
“I enjoy working in the company, because they [company members] are passionate about the issues they create, they are really inspiring and optimistic, when they tell about the serious issues and they really love music,” she smiles and looks optimistic, “we just want to take our performance to a further field, go to some festivals, such as the Edinburgh Festival, and more worldwide.”
“Their shows put the message of disability equality better than thousands reports ever could,” Bill Norman, the co- ordinator of Valuing People says.
Performances and Packages for Specific Needs
There are four projects provided by Twisting Ducks Theatre Company: ‘Spectrum’, ‘The Twist’, ‘Advocacy’ and ‘Work for All’, which offer people specific scientific needs, for example, doing a lot of commission works with NHS to create space for specific needs.
From the Twisting Ducks Theatre Company training film: trainers with learning disabilities or autism and the members of Twisting Ducks Theatre Company share their performances and packages for health professions and patients such as accessing the right health services and reasonable adjustments, hospital passports, what does care and compassion look like, and understanding depression and mental health, equality and diversity.
“We will create something that they need specifically,” Ani says.
Gateshead Council says that The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company provides support for parents with children having autism. “There is also a bi-monthly theatre night, a film night, a monthly gig night, and live karaoke at Dance City on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. 'Fresh' Club Night is also run at World Headquarters in Newcastle on the 1st Tuesday every month.”
Difficulties in accessing services
In terms of difficulties, Annie thinks the place their company located might be a little bit far away from the city centre which might be hard for audiences, especially those with learning disabilities, to come. Also, sometimes, it is not easy for them to get support and services from the theatre.
“Across Great Britain, there was an overall increase between 2009-11 and 2012-14 in the percentage of disabled and non-disabled adults who were reported to have difficulties accessing services in the areas of health, benefits, tax, culture, sport and leisure,” finds Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2017, when “in 2012-14 this was 45.3% for disabled people compared with 31.7% for non-disabled people.”
Traveline North East tells us that they provide travel assistance for disabled passengers undertaking rail journeys with phone numbers: • 0800 022 3720 • 0845 60 50 600 (textphone / minicom).
The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company is chasing its dreams and has strong voices.
Sir Len Fenwick, chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says: “The Twisting Ducks has a broad message to give not only in the field of learning disabilities.”
For more information about academies, please visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z0PIysXHKE