Blue Apple empowers people with learning disabilities to shine on stage and in life

Blue Apple Theatre supports learning disabled people to develop and showcase their performing arts skills

Blue Apple Theatre provides opportunities for learning disabled people to develop performing skills and to present theatre, dance, singing, and film performances to public audiences.

Despite recent progress, learning disabled people still face social barriers, suffering exclusion, stigma and isolation. Blue Apple want to change this and help create a positive fairer future.

Unlocking creative potential and building confidence

Arts activity promotes confidence, building social skills and supporting self-advocacy. Research shows that performing at Blue Apple builds confidence and self-esteem, encourages creative expression, promotes social integration and opportunity for connection.

High quality productions are presented at UK indoor and outdoor venues – including London’s Globe Theatre – and internationally in the US, Czech Republic, Poland and Italy.

The company bases most productions on classic texts adapted to consider cast diversity. Examples include Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Changing the world, one performance at a time

From the margins to the mainstream

Blue Apple was one of the first to lead the way in providing inclusive and ambitious theatre opportunities for people with a learning disability. Described as ‘the most civil of civil rights movements and the most social of social justice organisations’, we use the arts to bring learning disabled adults from the margins to the mainstream. Our participants have often led lives in the margins and we promote ways for them to join in the civic life most of us take for granted, first through cultural activity, then through other means (for example, volunteering or work). Engagement in the arts is a way of changing the world without waving flags or carrying banners. Our performers use wit and charm to challenge and gently provoke a debate about inclusion and the civic right of anyone to be a creative agent in their community. We tell stories and the telling of them opens up a conversation about equal access to culture. 

A more representative workforce

Blue Apple now supports two performers in paid roles, one in directing and one in governance.

With tailored support, barriers to employment can be overcome. Blue Apple is also exploring opportunities for participants to undertake paid work externally, not only in performing roles, but also as trainers, workshop leaders and experts by experience.

Inclusive arts leadership

Blue Apple is one of seven inclusive arts organisations in the UK working with Access All Areas in Transforming Leadership – a bespoke career development programme and coaching culture for potential learning-disabled leaders. The aim is to radically challenge ideas about who can lead across the Arts and demonstrate the significant potential for learning disabled leaders to drive accessibility in the sector.

Blue Apple Theatre's involvement in this transformative initiative aligns with its mission to challenge preconceptions and showcase the abilities and potential of learning disabled individuals within the arts. The Transforming Leadership Programme, initiated and led by Access All Areas, aims to address the exclusion of individuals with learning disabilities from crucial leadership discussions, fostering a more inclusive cultural landscape.

What do we mean by learning disabilities?

A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things throughout their life. Having a learning disability means that people find it harder to learn certain life skills. Some people are born with a disability, whereas others may develop one as a result of an accident or illness in childhood. Learning disability is often confused with learning difficulties such as dyslexia or ADHD. Mencap define learning disability as a lifelong reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities. Associated conditions include Down’s syndrome, Autism with a learning disability, Williams syndrome and SYNGAP1.

Classes

Blue Apple offers classes in Theatre, Dance, Singing and Performing Arts.

A full timetable is available here.

Sessions are currently available in Winchester, Hedge End, Southampton, Totton, Ringwood and online.

See a map of where we are currently running classes

Blue Apple is based in Winchester but our ever-expanding programme of workshop groups and outreach sessions is spread throughout Hampshire, whilst our performers tour throughout the southern counties and appear further afield nationally and internationally.

Blue Apple collaborates with other organisations including international theatre companies for people with learning disabilities. One example of this is an Erasmus+ project with theatres in Poland and the Czech Republic. Read more here.

Productions

Blue Apple has now produced 37 original theatre productions since 2005 and other projects. These have included full company productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2010), The Government Inspector (2011), The Snow Queen (2013), Arabian Nights (2014), The Selfish Giant (2015), Around the World in Eighty Days (2015), It’s a Wonderful Life (2016), Changes (2017), A Christmas Carol (2019), The Tempest (2019), The Railway Children (2020), Pinocchia (2020), Frankenstein (2021), The Wizard of Oz (2022), Macbeth (2022), Lashings of Ginger Beer (2023), Animal Farm (2023).

Major touring productions have included the ground-breaking, anti-hate-crime show, Living Without Fear (2011-14); Hamlet (2012); and Much Ado About Nothing (2015).

The company received considerable attention following a Channel 4 News feature about its performances at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2016, and its production of Hamlet was the subject the subject of the award-winning TV documentary Growing Up Down’s. Blue Apple strives to build effective partnerships regionally and nationally, sharing our approach as an exemplar of good practice.

Hamlet went on to be the subject of William Jessop’s hour-long BBC documentary Growing up Downs which won the prestigious Creative Diversity Network Most Ground-Breaking Programme Award for changing perceptions of disability and was nominated for an International Emmy.

Much Ado About Nothing gained standing ovations across the South, including performances at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Jersey Arts Centre.

Blue Apple’s dance performances have been commissioned for festivals, conferences and prestigious events nationally.

How it started

The company was founded by Jane Jessop in 2005, as part of Winchester Mencap, with one part-time drama teacher supported by volunteers.