Birds of Paradise is a Scottish-based theatre company who primarily employ disabled actors and perform plays on a range of disability issues. We spoke with the company’s Artistic Director, Robert Softley Gale, to find out a bit more about Birds of Paradise, their goals and their upcoming projects.

Birds of Paradise was founded in 1990 on the back of Glasgow becoming the European Capital of Culture and aimed to give disabled adults the chance to perform and get involved in theatre. Since then they have grown to a professional and well-established theatre company, employing deaf and disabled actors from across the country. Today the company seeks to showcase the best disabled actors in the industry and also change perceptions of disability in the arts through a number of original pieces on the subject. Robert says that one of the main obstacles an aspiring disabled actor will face are the attitudes towards their ability and a lack of imagination within the industry; both in terms of the prevalence of disabled characters and in allowing a disabled actor to play a role.

The original plays which Birds of Paradise produce tend to tackle issues relating to disability, although not necessarily from a point of view of allowing parts catered to the actor’s disability, but rather to play on the company’s experience, by contributing to themes and topics which those involved have experience of. Birds of Paradise also runs a number of workshops, called Looking 4 Talent, designed to suss out the next wave of talented disabled performers. These workshops are totally open to anyone who wishes to attend and offer an opportunity for aspiring disabled actors which Robert says is lacking in most amateur and youth theatres, where actors generally would get their start in the industry. This is what sets Birds of Paradise apart and has allowed in its success in theatre; it has found the talent behind the disability and worked using those talents rather than restricting itself and its actors with typecasting.

Looking 4 talent will be taking place at locations across Scotland and if you fancy  trying out more information can be found below, as can information on past and upcoming productions.

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Birds of Paradise Website: http://www.birdsofparadisetheatre.co.uk/

Looking 4 Talent: http://www.birdsofparadisetheatre.co.uk/project/looking-4-talent/