Students from Caritas St Joseph's Activities Centre were invited to Sadler's Wells Theatre on 13 January to see The Drama Group, a stage adaptation of a book written by Hugh Grant, Baroness Sheila Hollins and her son Nigel. They then got the chance to meet the famous actor. The Drama Group is loosely based on Romeo & Juliet, and the cast included Hugh Grant himself with the rest of the actors made up of people with learning disabilities from the Baked Bean Theatre Company.
The students from St Joseph's are all people with intellectual disabilities and members of the Book Club which uses Books Beyond Words picture stories in order to understand their world. The publishing house, which is headed by the Baroness, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and has produced 45 titles in that time. They aim to equip people with the knowledge and choice to access quality relationships, services and opportunities. Lady Hollins says, 'People with learning disabilities live rich and diverse lives, and we aim to present as many of life's facets as possible in our books'.
After the play the students learned more About the Boy than they had anticipated, when Grant milled about meeting and greeting the audience, and posed for selfies with them.
Caritas St Joseph's, formerly St Joseph's Pastoral Centre, provides a safe place, in the form of an Activities Centre, with lifelong learning for people with intellectual disabilities, celebrating their gifts.
Auriel Bull
