What do people say about DIY?
“There is a charm and inexplicable appeal in it. The beauty and unpredictability of DIY’s creativity ultimately means I leave the theatre a little changed from when I went in. This new mode of theatre will undoubtedly play a part in the theatre of tomorrow.”
Harry Matthews – Disability Arts Online
Click here to read the full review of ‘In Other Words’ at Salford Arts Theatre 29 March 2010
“DIY Theatre Company facilitated workshops for ‘My Life My Dream’. The workshops were popular and well received, with people talking about them and remembering the work they did after the events. It is especially important for people with learning difficulties to access ideas in ways that make sense to them, and clearly working with DIY and drama is a fun and effective way of thinking about something in a new way.”
Linzi Brook – Development Worker for People with Learning Difficulties Salford
“The DIY workshop was great for pushing young performers to challenge themselves creatively and fantastic to see adults with disabilities being in a leadership role within that workshop.”
Caz Brader – Bolton Octagon Theatre
“Having members from DIY collaborate on our recent theatre festival was a real inspiration. Their passion and enjoyment for theatre left us with a renewed belief in what disabled artists can achieve.”
Jamie Patterson – Artistic Director So Many Words Theatre Company
From In Other Words
“What has surprised me is the versatility and talent of the group – in terms of improvisation and getting in the moment it’s as stimulating as any other rehearsal room I’ve ever been in.”
Danny Start – Writer
“After we saw your plays I went back to my head teacher and told him that we had to have you in our school. All the staff that accompanied us on the trip were talking about how the plays really made them think and re-evaluate their actions at times with regards to people with disabilities. Even though our work is a vocation we were all made aware of how, at times we forget pupils difficulties, especially our students who cannot communicate.”
Teacher – Cromwell High School
“I was attracted by the challenge of working with an established theatre group who had never worked with a writer before and creating something unique that would be of value and importance to learning-disabled actors….What has surprised me has been the number of ideas that the group themselves generated, their willingness to try things out… I may well consider writing more ‘poetically’ in the future and I would definitely consider working with learning disabled people again.”
Aelish Michael – Writer
From Arts Award projects
“Having DIY come in to lead the project provided a fantastic model for staff to understand how Arts Award can work in practise and how it can be tailored to accommodate the specifications of the group.”
Teacher – Heaton School, Stockport
“Our school has treated the collaborative work with DIY as a pilot project for the Arts Award within our school, and it has surpassed expectation. The Arts Award is proving to be very appropriate for our students and it is our vision to deliver the Arts Award to all our students in the near future.”
Teacher – Chatsworth School
What the audience said about “Strange Capers” at the Lowry
“Love your ideas, production and confidence. Brilliant! Look forward to the next one.”
“Very professional. Long may the very hard work continue. Excellent work.”
“I enjoyed the humour, the sincerity, the way the cast acted out the stories and the music.”
“A joyful evening, deserving of a full house.”
“Powerful, thought-provoking and professional.”
What the audience said about “Platform 1″ at The Lowry:
“It made me laugh and made me cry. Excellent stuff.”
“I really enjoyed it. Everyone looked so “in control” and empowered. It was beautiful!”
“Loved the video art – really powerful and honest.”
“I liked the wedding the best – I got very teary -eyed.”
“Very, very good. Well organised and really good. Would love to come again.”
“All excellent, moving, funny, well-performed and written piece. Congratulations! I particularly enjoyed the soundscape and physical (image) work. Very good performance discipline.”
“Excellent. I taught many of you as pupils at Margaret Whitehead school and am very proud to see what you have all achieved. Congratulations!”