Your Life Is Amazing, Come And Make It Into A Play - We Did!
Inclusive creative theatre workshops with The Washing Machine Of Destiny team
Your Life Is Amazing, Come And Make It Into A Play - We Did!
Inclusive creative theatre workshops with The Washing Machine Of Destiny team.
Booking is essential and if you have any specific needs then let us know beforehand. Please bring along a title of some music/song that you particularly like (or have it downloaded on your phone) and an object that is important to you!
The workshop title is from Luca. Both he and Philip are on the autistic spectrum, Pippa isn’t. The workshops are 2 hour inclusive creative & theatre skills sessions, open to anyone over 12, with no previous skills/experience in performing needed. Just a willingness to give it a go in your own way for as long as you want.
We particularly welcome neurodiverse participants or anyone living with learning difficulties or mental health challenges. Our emphasis will be on having fun and everyone being their creative selves - we all can be.
As with our performances these workshops will be ‘relaxed’, people will be encouraged to participate in whatever way they choose to. We know that attention looks different for different bodies and minds, for some this might involve making noises or moving around. If you need to you can leave and come back at any time.
If you are able to we’d like you to bring a favourite piece of music or a song - on your phone or just written down, and an object that is significant to you. If you need a carer or a friend to come too that’s completely fine, ask them to bring those things too.
Meet your team:
Luca (he/him) has only really started doing drama in the last few years. The Washing Machine Of Destiny is the first show he has both created and performed in. He says “Our workshop and play is for everyone but particularly people on the spectrum or who have disabilities, who often feel they don’t have a voice.
The message of the project is saying how special you are too, all of you! I’d especially like to see people around my age (teenagers) at the workshops,
and the play. This project has been really important for me. One of the reasons is because I’ve discovered my own creativity, about what a fun and
brilliant and amazing extravagant phenomenal thing it is! I hope our workshops might get you inspired too, and think how you could do something
like this. You can!”
Philip (he/him) Philip is a professional freelance theatre and music maker and educator with 45 years’ experience. He co-creates theatre and music with all kinds of people, helping them find a voice. Working in Devon, across the UK and internationally, including work in Iraq using theatre and music to help develop resilience in those damaged by conflict. He says “I use the arts to grow and unite communities of common place, interest, experience”. He’s worked with The Red Cross, Save the Children, British Council, MIND UK, and for many local projects including Royal Albert Memorial Museum Exeter (RAMM), RD&E Hospital (Wonford), Devon Arts In Schools Initiative (DAISI). He says “My job is to inspire people - some with a learning or physical disability, sensory impairment, those who are socially excluded or marginalised, including the homeless and refugees, often incredible people not given creative opportunities.”
Pippa (she/her) is an experienced writer, director and educator delivering a range of community projects focused on finding ways of telling our own stories, including establishing a Creative Writing group in Exeter Prison. Having taught Drama for 30 years Pippa undertook an MA, then focused on writing commissions and collaborative projects, including coordinating Alls Well heritage project for Exeter Community Centre (Thriving Communities funded). Pippa worked with Philip on All is Mended (co-writer), the accompanying book A Little Bit of Magic (poetry created from interviews with Care Home residents). She says “We hope these workshops will provide creative and validating experiences for our participants. Being together, sharing our gifts and challenges of being who we are can be transformational. We hope you’ll feel ess alone & more included. Come and be part of our celebration of belonging.”