Report on Recent Projects

‘Behind You’

    ‘Behind You’ toured in 2006 visiting schools and community venues across the region presenting performances that explored the emotional fallout caused by Transition, Life changes, Loss and Death.  This production challenged the attitudes of the performers and the audiences.

    Partners Theatre Company created a piece of drama that embraced these issues, sensitively weaving them into an explosive, colorful and magical production that touched the lives of all who experienced it. ‘Behind You’ used the comedic style of Pantomime, mixed with that of Forum Theatre to explore this uniquely equalizing, inevitable human experience.  The company learned to use sign language; this training was provided by the two company members who are deaf. This visual communication underpinned the production and worked towards Reach’s aims for inclusivity in the arts.

    This project also included an opportunity for disabled people to learn backstage skills including stage lighting, audio, setting up and moving equipment. This was a ground breaking scheme for disabled people to experience working behind the scenes, as well as performing on stage. Graduates from this stage management school worked behind the scenes as crew on the tour.

Stage Management School

   

    Reach expanded the involvement of people with disabilities in the behind You production by organizing training for people with disabilities to learn stage management skills. Four individuals were given the opportunity to work as crew on the tour. Reach employed a stage manager who ran this training programme. The stage manager was assisted by a visually impaired graduate from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London who provided audio training. Other sessions covered understanding of Stage Lighting as well as the safe handling and transport of equipment. Partners presented their first performance of Behind You as a public dress rehearsal in order that the stage management crew could experience the excitement that an audience brings to a performance.

‘In On The Act’

    This was an original show devised by Partners Theatre Company which toured schools and community venues around Swindon and Wiltshire in 2005. This drama addressed themes of family breakdown, alcoholism, and homelessness.

‘Sticks and Stones’

    This was a show which Partners toured in schools and community venues in Swindon in 2004. The show inspired an anti-bullying short film which featured animation by Animate Communicate and interviews with audience members after they had seen the show. Swindon Anti-Bullying Committee requested the show to be revived and updated in 2008.

Animate Communicate

    Animate Communicate were a group of people with learning disabilities based at Middlefield day Centre in Chippenham who devised claymation films. The group became so adept at animation and the filming process that they did work shops in Wiltshire schools and shared their skills with school children.

Parks and East Walcot

  This was a project funded by South West Regional Development Agency based at a community hall for people with mental health issues living in the area. Reach coordinated a series of workshops led by artists with disabilities. The group engaged in a number of different art activities including drama, mask making, claymation and dance.

Messy Rainbow Glitter Show

    James Aldridge led this group which pushed artistic boundaries whilst preserving a strong community element of this highly project at the Wharf Theatre in Devizes. The group developed skills in various visual art mediums, puppetry, movement and they explored the use of film in order to show the work they created in exhibitions across the county as Installation Art. Lorna Bernstein, Installation Artist worked with the group to enable them to fulfill this creative ambition.

Smart Art

    This was a visual arts group based at The Marlborough Resource Centre.  The group offered people with disabilities and/or mental health issues, living in the Marlborough area, the opportunity to develop a community arts profile that formed the basis for exhibitions. Reach hope to move on from this success to establish an art outreach program at Avebury working with the National Trust.

Report on Current Projects

1. •Partners Theatre Company
   

A small group of actors with a variety of disabilities, they meet weekly at the Wyvern  Theatre and perform and tour on a regular basis.

For more information on Partners Theatre Company please click here.

1. •Create Inclusive
   

A group of adult film-makers with learning difficulties meet regularly at the Wyvern Theatre; Swindon to make claymation animated movies. In conjunction with Create Studios, Swindon this group of talented individuals design, storyboard, capture and produce short films that are then shown at local film screenings. Adults from the group also spend time in schools teaching their techniques to young people who can then alter their perception of disability.

1. •Making It A.R.T.
   

Making It A.R.T. was a collaboration between Reach and three local schools - Commonweal School, Crowdys Hill School and Uplands School, allowing pupils with disabilities who are on the verge of leaving school to explore the theme of inclusivity in terms of how it relates to their lives as they increase their independence.  Working with professional actors and peer mentored by actors from Partners Theatre Company, they developed drama pieces that were performed on stage at the Wyvern Theatre on February 12th 2010.

For more information on Making It A.R.T. please click here.

Exciting News!

Making It A.R.T. has been nominated for a National Lottery Award!

Following the success of the show at the Wyvern on the 12th February, Making It A.R.T. has reached the semi-final stage of the National Lottery Awards and we are competing against 10 other contenders in the Best Arts Project category to reach the live finals.

Voting has now finished - thanks to everyone who has supported us.

1. •Big Hat
   

In July 2008 a group of disabled artists got together to put on an evening Cabaret performance in the Lower Foyer of the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, called ‘The Big Hat Cabaret’.   Following this tremendous success, Big Hat is proud to announce their follow on show at The Arts Centre on the 18th January at 7.30pm.

Big Hat Cabaret offers a fun-packed evening of music, dance, film and stand-up comedy performed by dynamic performers, some with disabilities.

This event promises yet more laughter, music and visual treats. 

Big Hat is a cooperative including Swindon Dance, Upham Road Day Centre, Reach Inclusive Arts, Commonweal School and Crowdys Hill School.

Tickets all cost £5.00 Available from The Arts Centre Box Office:

Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon SN1 4BJ. Tel: 01793 614837

1. •Graeae Theatre Company, London
   

‘Partners Theatre Company’ actors continue to develop their skills by working with others to share their inclusive style of theatre.  Reach have a close working relationship with ‘Graeae Theatre Company’ a disabled-led, International theatre company, based in London, that profiles the skills of actors, writers and directors with physical and sensory impairments.  Graeae are performing their show ‘Whiter Than Snow’ at the The North Wall Theatre, Oxford in April and ‘Partners’ are going to take part in a workshop with the company and then see their show afterwards. 

1. •Workable Arts
   

Reach has been working with a number of disabled people who are currently seeking employment.  The workshops combined animation and drama and have been designed to increase confidence and improve soft skills to increase employability. The participants are producing a short film which will be available for screening sometime in June 2010.

1. •Street Art, Street Theatre
   

In the summer of 2010 Reach plans to run a series of workshops and performances   working in the area of Parks and East Walcot in Swindon and tackling the experience of those suffering from mental illness.