I was so excited to be accepted into a 5-day-long intensive course in The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, led by Paula Garfield (Deafinitely Theatre), which was packed with expertise and collaboration. In such a short time, we all covered so much!

• Acting for theatre (led by Paula Garfield)

• Acting for Film (led by Frazer Cobb)

• Translation in BSL (led by Paula Garfield)

• Movement in space (led by Anna Seymour)

• Translation from Text to BSL/VV (led by Lisa Kelly)

• Developing Visual Vernacular (led by Zoë McWhinney)

• Had a Q&A with Fifi Garfield & Rose Ayling-Ellis

To wrap it all up, we chose parts from Contractions (Written by Mike Bartlett), Grounded (written by George Brant), or Bull (Written by Mike Bartlett) and performed them in front of our group for peer review/ feedback. (I performed a scene from Contractions).

AS AN ADDITIONAL BONUS - that week we were lucky enough that there was such plentiful Deaf-informed, and Deaf led art on offer that we could catch after the workshops (Pictures below):

• Watched SORDA and took part in asking questions to the Director, Eva Libertad

• Watched the Deaf Republic (co-collaborated with Illya Kaminsky’s poems) and talked to Lisa Kelly (actor) & Zoë McWhinney (consultant and writer) about its production.

I feel so honoured to laugh with and learn more from all the people I met this week. I look forward to seeing, working and laughing with all of them again in the future.

I am so grateful to Amy Leach for introducing me to the Associate Director of Leeds Playhouse, Sameena Hussain - and for the chance to join her workshop!

What does it mean to be a Director, and be kind? - The course was a mixture of large and smaller group discussions, independent tasks/reflections, games and exercises. All of this explored diversity within our small group and the wider cultural experience of theatre, discussing what accessibility and kindness means to us (coming from different cultural backgrounds, experience with disabilities, or neurodivergence). A process that challenged us to take on dilemmas and provided insight into how directing can make or break a project, or the actors.

It was a worthwhile and intense 5 days, which raised many questions about values, and practices that I will bring into my work.

Foreword:

I am grateful to the guidance and knowledge of my lecturers during these two years, and I am proud of the work I have created with my peers. Unfortunately, despite grades that would have allowed me to continue to the final year of my degree, the university could not guarantee that my education would be an equitable/equal experience in 2026.

I started this portfolio after my second year at York St John, so I am slowly adding my work from York St John as I find them. I continue to use and grow on what I have learnt over the past two years, as seen by my projects page

“an outstanding student and theatre maker” - David Richmond (My Academic Tutor & Lecturer)

Brief mention of things I pursued whilst attending university:

Achieved a BSL Level 3 Qualification (2023)

Helped kickstart The UK Deaf Students Union (2023)

Set up the Creatives Society & ran events such as spoken word events

Independently found work experience in the Leeds playhouse (see here for Mr Snow and here for Animal Farm)

Independently pursued more courses (Directing with Kindness, Deafinitely Theatre: BSL in performance, acting intensive course in 2024, and 2025)

First Year (2023-2024):

A year of intense learning & collaboration between my peers to independently create 4 performances backed by performance reflection coursework

Acting Module:

Assessment: find a play and perform it.

I chose Loot by Joe Orton and performed in the role of Hal

Role: Translated the whole of the script in BSL and researched Deaf access and family dynamics in the 70’s, and performed as Hal using BSL.

Big Ideas in Performance Module:

Assessment: Essay on Formative Acting techniques. I chose to write about Constantin Stanislavski, Michael Chekhov and Jerzy Grotowski

Role: Researcher/Journalist

Workshop Facilitation Module:

Assessment: Organizing a Drama Workshop for the rest of the degree cohort, and writing up our research.

Role: Facilitator & Researcher

Spoken Word Module:

Assessment: Spoken word event: The Lost and Found - Created our own pieces and performed them in a spoken word event we organized ourselves, also was required to research different types of spoken and written word and demonstrate it in a zine with our own creative work

Role: Performer, zine maker, Deaf Accessibility Consultant, Performer, Promotional Materials Designer

Political Ensemble Performance:

Assessment: Banksy Performance - Inspired by the works of Banksy

Role: Co-creator, performer & BSL consultant

Making an ensemble performance:

Assessment: Brand new Ancients Performance - inspired by Kay Tempest’s Anthology: Brand New Ancients

Role: Co-creator, performer & BSL consultant

Second Year (2024-2025):

A year of intense learning & collaboration between my peers to independently create 4 performances and 2 Drama Facilitation placements. All of which required a research-based reflection essays afterwards.

Artist as Witness Performance

Assessment: Group-devised performance, which later led to the creation of “The Party”(2025)

Role: Actor, Co-collaborator, Researcher

Auto/Biographical Performance

Assessment: (working on devised solos, duets and group performance)

Role: Actor, Co-collaborator, Researcher

Children and Young People (Facilitation Module)

Assessment: (Workshop facilitation continued)

Drama facilitation with year 8 girls from the Vale of York, weaving in the “Its Not Love” NSPCC campaign into our work.

Drama facilitation with the prison partnership scheme, involving 3 weeks where we went into prison and worked alongside prisoners, evaluating what they needed from drama and finding ways to provide it to them.

Role: Facilitator, Researcher

Theatre for Social Change Module

Assessment: Created a student documentary, Stone Soup

Role: Researcher and Production Assistant

Politically Engaged Practice (PEP) 1& 2

Assessment: For Politically Engaged Practice we were expected to write a portfolio of work;

*Critical Review: On the representation and impact of Sally Cookson’s Wonderboy (Written by Ross Willis)

*Reflection on a performance experiment: In which my group used Documentary theatre and the Theatre of the Oppressed techniques

*Research on a theatre’s practice: How does Back To Back Theatre use innovative strategies to represent their worldviews on stage?

Role: Researcher/ Journalist

I am so grateful that I was selected to join a short summer term workshop with the Deafinitely Youth theatre, facilitated by the wonderful Charlotte Arrowsmith. It was such a valuable refresher that came just at the right time for me, since I was just about to start studying Drama at University level. (I also just love the ease and passion that I felt when working with other Deaf actors and Creatives)

In this particular workshop we practiced skills such as rapid script learning, and how to audition in front of a panel (who included William Grint) & had the chance to ask questions to a panel of actors already in the industry.

To give you an idea of what the workshop was like, here is the Deafinitely Theatre Website & below is the Deafinitely Youth Theatre Trailer:

Mainstream 6th form (2018/2019)

To understand my initial A-level choices, you have to go back to what I chose in GCSEs. I could not go on to take a Drama, Music, or Language A-level in mainstream college, since they require GCSE foundational knowledge. However, this did not stop me from pursuing Music and Acting, and obtaining a Qualification in BSL while studying A levels in Mainstream. I initially studied Environmental Science, Biology, and Art for my A levels before restarting 6th form at Mary Hare which gave me more opportunities.

Additional Achievements:

Cast as Snug/Queen Titania’s Fairy in a College Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Passed my level 1 BSL after College Hours

Mary Hare School for the Deaf (2020-2022)

It was a huge positive change to move to Mary Hare’s 6th form in 2020, as it allowed me to repeat my first year of 6th form education, which had been largely disrupted by COVID-19 restrictions. I was encouraged to pursue more subjects I was passionate about, and I was fortunate enough to do an additional year to expand on Acting and Art.

Additional Achievements:

• Head Girl/Prefect & School Council Member

• Alumni Archivist

• Subject Mentor

• Semifinalist, came second in ARTiculate 2022, was a mentor to Georgie who won first place in 2023.

• Coles Diner Employee

• Was part of the Mary Hare Band (2021-2023) as a guitarist and vocalist

• Passed My level 2 BSL after campaigning for students at Mary Hare to have access to BSL Qualifications

Grades Received & Additional context of what was studied:

LAMDA Drama Grade 6 – Distinction

In 25 minutes - perform two own choice scenes, afterwards, it is assessed how well you answer questions from the panel related to the performances.

• Antigone

• Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan

LAMDA Poetry and Prose Grade 8 – Merit

35 minutes, one choice piece of verse and one choice piece of prose (one piece had to be Shakespeare), as well as sight-reading an unknown text on the day, had to answer questions from a panel about the pieces afterwards.

• Sonnet 116, By Shakespeare

• Morning after Opening night, By Kay Tempest, from: Hold Your Own

• Unknown text

AS Drama (WJEC Eduqas) – B (1 mark off an A)

Component 1: creation, development and performance of one reinterpretation of an extract, using the working methods and techniques of a theatre practitioner/ theatre company.

Component 2: Text in Action. Creation, development and performance of one devised piece using the working methods and techniques of a second different theatre practitioner/theatre company.

Component 3: Performance Learners explore two complete performance texts from different historical periods.

• Re-interpretation of the Theban Plays - with focus on Antigone

• Independently devised piece - with Bouffon Clowning & Complicite work

• Further study into stage design, lighting and acting - Using Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

AS Fine Art – A Exploring the theme of Identity

• Using Oil Paint, Acrylic Paint, Pastel, Oil Pastels

AS Critical and Contextual  – A Exploring how to Curate Art

• developing marketing skills and curating skills, as well as researching and presenting Art history

A Level Fine Art – A* Exploring the theme of Culture & Impacts on Identity

• Using Clay, Textiles, Installation/Immersive art, Wirework

A Level English Literature – C Dystopian Literature & Victorian Poetry & Contemporary Relationships

• The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood

• 1984, George Orwell

• Brave New Worlds Anthology, Edited by John Joseph Adams

• Selected Poems Anthology, Christina Rossetti

• A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams

• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tennessee Williams

A Level Biology – D - (this result reflects the disruption in teaching during the COVID pandemic)

I was 15 when I attended an interview in London at the National Deaf Children’s society’s Headquarters on the 11th Dec 2017, to see if I would be accepted as part of the Youth Advisory Board for 2 years. I was selected out of 100’s of applicants to be a part of the 19 members on the YAB -people who became close allies and friends whilst we navigated difficult research in creating a campaign with the fantastic NDCS staff.

Over these dates we contributed to development of a campaign - Deaf Works Everywhere

Date unknown 2018 - London

8th -10th June 2018 Birmingham

6-7th October 2018 Glasgow

9-10th Feb 2019 Leeds

Whilst being a part of the YAB there was also oppotunities to do solo work. I was greatly interested in Deaf representation in media and books, as well as politics, so I was honored to be tasked with these things:

19th March 2019 - Spoke at the Education Select Committee in the Houses of Parliament to ask for reform of SEN policies.

August 2019 - was an advisory sensitivity reader for Frances Hardinge’s Deeplight (published by Macmillian Children’s books)

Was an advisory sensitivity reader for Shannon Stocker, as she wrote a children’s story of Evelyn Glennie’s life “Listen : How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion”

Gave a talk to parents of Deaf Children about what its like growing up in today’s society

I later continued working for the NDCS as a sessional worker in 2022 - 2023, and I accepted an award presented by Princess Anne on behalf of the NDCS in 2024

Foreword:

I went to a Mainstream Secondary School, which was a challenging experience. I am eternally grateful for my parents taking the time after school to talk through the subjects I studied and to the textbooks that I could read after class.

I felt limited in what I could choose for my GCSE’S. The listening exams in Music and additional languages, and the auditory cues used in Drama, were barriers that I had no guidance in overcoming at the time. It was more strongly suggested that I should focus on other subjects.

My opportunity to explore Drama, music and another language came much later in 6th form, when I went to Mary Hare School for the Deaf.

Secondary School

Additional Roles/Education:

School Council Member/Prefect

Grade 1 Piano

Achieved Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze

Grades Achieved:

Maths: 5 (C/B)

English Language: 5 (C/B)

English Literature: 8 (A*)

Art: 8 (A*)

Design and Tech:  7 (A) 

Religious Studies: 8 (A*)

Triple Science:  Biology: 8 (A), Chemistry: 6 (B), Physics: 5 (C/B)