NYT Inclusive Company Productions

About the Company

The Integrated or Inclusive Company of Nottingham Youth Theatre has been in existence since 1989, when the first notion of a County level group joining the Nottinghamshire Edinburgh presence was made by David Stewart. At that time Jonothan Neelands was the Head of the Dance & Drama Support Service and persuaded, against the odds, the powers that be that we should have a group that included young people with learning difficulties in Edinburgh for the Fringe. Ode on a Grecian Urn performed at the pre-Festival show in Studio 12 in College Street and then at Diverse Attractions venue on the Edinburgh Fringe.

The next year, The Canterbury Tales won a Fringe First from The Scotsman newspaper and the future was assured. The young people had proven that they could work at the same level and pull audiences and win awards like the rest of the company of mainstream young people.

The expectations made of those with special needs and those in mainstream have always been the same, not just in performance terms either. Selling shows to the public, get-ins and get-outs, responsibility for each other, performance discipline and the rest, are all engaged with together and whilst sometimes concessions have to be made for physical reasons no allowance is made for self-pity or self indulgence. All company members are encouraged to seek their rewards from the knowledge and feeling that an audience has enjoyed the company's performance.

The group has toured in Poland at the Mosina All-Poland Festival of performance by children with Learning Difficulties. Since 1998, each production has toured the University Special Education conference circuit as well as being invited to launch the Anne Craft Trust at Central Hall, Westminster.

In addition, the company has presented papers for the World Congress of the International Association for Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (IASSID) on the work.

In Autumn 2003, we were able to realise a long-term ambition to create an adult company for the ex-members to move on to. The Nottingham Theatre of Citizens was created, initially for a year with the help of support from Boots Charitable Trust and Fundays in Nottinghamshire.

If you would like to help us continue, please click here and tell us.

Ode on a Grecian Urn - 1990
The Canterbury Tales - 1991 (Edinburgh Fringe First)
I Celebrate Myself - 1992
Pilgrim’s Progress - 1993
Aesop’s Fables - 1994
Funnybones - 1995 (Edinburgh Sell-Out)
Funnybones 2 - Humerus History - 1996 (Polish Tour)
Hans Up! - 1997
The Decameron - 1998
Jason & The Argonauts - 1999
Hiawatha - 2000
The Nutcracker - 2001
NOW That's What I Call Movies - 2003
Put That Light Out - 2004
It Could only Happen in Panto! - 2005
What the Dickens! - 2006
The Government Inspector 2007

Some videos of productions are available from:
College Street Centre, Nottingham, NG1 5AQ, UK
nytdirector@collegest.org.uk

 

Click for NYT Home page or on College Street logo be
low for Curriculum Service Home page

 

The Staff team on Put That Light Out (02/04)