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Actors With Disabilities Take Center Stage at the Globe Theatre

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Learning difficulties won’t stop them acting Shakespeare“Unless you're given a fair chance then they will not know what you, the individual, can do.” Meet the actors with Down's Syndrome and other learning difficulties challenging expectations by performing Shakespeare.

Posted by Channel 4 News on Tuesday, March 22, 2016

 

The Blue Apple Theatre group is an organization based in Winchester, England that presents high quality theater, dance and film by performers with learning disabilities.

On Monday the group performed a Shakespeare play at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe Theatre in London, and they allowed Channel 4 News cameras to tag along before they took the stage. The actors gave viewers a sneak peak at some of their performances, and they also chatted about how acting has improved their lives.

“I think people out there in the world need to see that people are capable of doing Shakespeare, even with a learning disability like we’ve got,” actor Laurie Morris said in the video.

Fellow actor Tommy Jessop also discussed his take on the disability benefit cuts that have recently made the news in the U.K., noting that it’s not helping people with disabilities find jobs.

“Unless you’re given a fair chance, then they will not know what you, the individual, can do,” actor James Bensfield added.

Watch the video above for behind-the-scenes footage.


Have you seen the first film with a national release to star a person with Down syndrome? Check out the film “Where Hope Grows” today!

Available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes.

Originally published: March 23, 2016
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