Freak Boy
Freak Boy was devised in response to the needs of our members
and others with learning disabilities. Get Changed is working
in conjunction with Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Community
Safety Partnerships, throughout Devon to raise awareness of
Bullying and hate crime against those with a learning disability.
Research identified that bullying is
common ground experienced
by both young and learning disabled people.
The show tackles two important issues, bullying and disability
awareness. It has been devised by the theatre company with
research from Okehampton Community College students and day
centre users in Okehampton as well as local youth groups
in the area.
The show focuses on two main characters:
Chris, a twelve year old Okehampton College Student and Greg
an adult with learning disabilities who attends numeracy
and literacy
classes at the college. They are both victims
of bullying, of being on the outside, humiliated and victimised
by those
who should know better. As the show unfolds the
audience come to understand just how entwined these two characters
really are.
In this show Greg is both the victim and the bully. We want
to show the adult with learning disabilities as a bully to
get away from the stereotyped view of them as poor, innocent
simpletons. We pose a complex moral dilemma for the audience
and ask them to actively engage with the problem.
Life is complex and tough for Greg and Chris, labeled freaks
and losers, where would you place your anger. What would
you do?
Freak boy has been successfully piloted and evaluated and
is now being rolled out in mainstream secondary schools throughout
Devon.
|
