Posts
missfit productions, the storytellers pedal stool, are at it again, producing high quality storytelling, at low cost prices. We are looking for stories in all formats: tellers, poets, visual makers, playwrights. players, directors, dreamers, idealists, rebels, and my favourite of all, missfits.
If you have a story or an idea for a story and you are looking to test it out or show it off, please get in contact asap. All submissions must be emailed to missfitmonday@googlemail.com by the 15th Jan 09.
We are offering the most developed work a maximum run of 4 performances and where necessary happy to support the writer with casting, as well as sourcing a Director.
There is no funding for this project yet, but it is an opportunity to invite industry professionals/ agents. We will be giving each writer/maker 2 comps per performance, Directors and Actors all get 1 comp per performance.
missfit mondays @ The Troy Bar, Hoxton
Performance Dates Available:
Feb: 09 - 2, 9, 16, 23,
Mar: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30,
Apr: 6,13,20,27,
May: 4,11,18,25 – Susanna - Russian Play (Calling for Dir/Cast)
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Thursday, 27 November 2008
DYSSING MONADYS - The End Has Come
Two months have gone by so fast. Dyssing Monadys has now finished. So much has happend, we have met so many people, worked with so many writers, poets and filmakers, actors and directors.
The concept was to create an event designed for us - dyslexic storytellers, to tell our storys, our way. A place were there was no need to apologies for our erros or our weeknesses, becouse here - at the festival, we were the main stars. Our weekenesses were not important. We were seen as storytellers and for a while, people, the audenice, forgot we were dyslexic.
The audenice were often suprised and the work was so good, people even questioned if we were really dyslexic. This just show how little the genral public know about dyslexia.
We came out of the creative closet. Me included.
A dyslexic producer, writer and director, proving that her playground is better...
I dont belive in the mantra, if you can beat them join them, I belive in, "If you cant beat them, change the rules"
The concept was to create an event designed for us - dyslexic storytellers, to tell our storys, our way. A place were there was no need to apologies for our erros or our weeknesses, becouse here - at the festival, we were the main stars. Our weekenesses were not important. We were seen as storytellers and for a while, people, the audenice, forgot we were dyslexic.
The audenice were often suprised and the work was so good, people even questioned if we were really dyslexic. This just show how little the genral public know about dyslexia.
We came out of the creative closet. Me included.
A dyslexic producer, writer and director, proving that her playground is better...
I dont belive in the mantra, if you can beat them join them, I belive in, "If you cant beat them, change the rules"
Sunday, 23 November 2008
Susanna, By Russian Writer, N.N. Rashkin
Monday 24th Nov 08
Play – 7.30pm
Susanna
By N.N. Rashkin
"I shall tell about myself something. I was born in 1964. I the writer, script writer, playwright. I have issued three books. All other my works in Russia are necessary to nobody. Oh yes, I live in Russia. I the man, not the woman. My name N. N."
Director
Vince Tycer recently moved to London from California, directing work includes Reefer Madness the Musical and Menotti's opera The Medium. He has an MA in Directing from the University of California at Irvine and studied acting at Drama Studio London.
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
A Wonderful Surprise
I purposely made sure that I didn’t look at the script prior to the performance. By doing this it will give me a fresh approach to the play. In a strange way I’ve never felt fully connected when I see my plays acted. It’s as if someone else had written it. On Oct. 6th when the lights went down and the play started I was totally connected. The night “LD” was performed was the best theatrical event of my playwriting career.
Two amazingly talented actors and a very gifted talented director caught every nuance and every dramatic moment of my play. And that’s saying something because I’ve worked with the creative people in my other plays. They never reached height of perfection that Ms. Sorczuk and company had. Considering that I wasn’t present during the creative process made the event more exciting and a wonderful surprise.
I was a little concern about the Q & A afterwards. I never done it before. The audience members made me feel at ease. The questions were challenging and their interest in dyslexia very moving. At the end of the evening a fella told me that he wasn’t diagnosed until he was in his mid thirties and that the could identify with the characters. In every performance of this play I’ve always had people approach me with stories about themselves or loved ones effect by this disability. With these conversations I feel that I’ve done my job as an artist. I’ve opened a dialog for audience to talk freely about living with dyslexia. That was always my goal for “LD” when I wrote it.
Two amazingly talented actors and a very gifted talented director caught every nuance and every dramatic moment of my play. And that’s saying something because I’ve worked with the creative people in my other plays. They never reached height of perfection that Ms. Sorczuk and company had. Considering that I wasn’t present during the creative process made the event more exciting and a wonderful surprise.
I was a little concern about the Q & A afterwards. I never done it before. The audience members made me feel at ease. The questions were challenging and their interest in dyslexia very moving. At the end of the evening a fella told me that he wasn’t diagnosed until he was in his mid thirties and that the could identify with the characters. In every performance of this play I’ve always had people approach me with stories about themselves or loved ones effect by this disability. With these conversations I feel that I’ve done my job as an artist. I’ve opened a dialog for audience to talk freely about living with dyslexia. That was always my goal for “LD” when I wrote it.
Playwright Wendy Wasserstein
Through her plays and other writings, Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein provided a voice for so many women paving their way on one or more of the multiple paths that the 1960’s and 70’s and modern-day feminism opened up to them. In fact, Wendy, herself, opened doors for women with her plays. Uncommon Women and Others, one of her early successful plays, featured a group of young undergrads at a prestigious women’s college striving to be “great before 30.” It gave now well-known actresses Glenn Close and Meryl Streep a chance to shine in their early years of acting. And, a little later on in her career, when women over a certain age were not getting roles, Wendy, again, wrote roles specifically for them in her 1993 critically-acclaimed play, The Sisters Rosenweig.
"She was known for being a popular, funny playwright, but she was also a woman and a writer of deep conviction and political activism," André Bishop, artistic director of Lincoln Center told Charles Isherwood of the New York Times (January 30, 2006. Link to article). "In Wendy's plays women saw themselves portrayed in a way they hadn't been onstage before — wittily, intelligently and seriously at the same time. We take that for granted now, but it was not the case 25 years ago. She was a real pioneer." Like the roles in her plays, Wendy created her own path as she went through her early years of school, her career, and her late-in-life and single motherhood. Perhaps this attitude began as a necessity, when early on dyslexia made reading, spelling—and writing—incredibly challenging.
“I won a Pulitzer Prize for playwriting, and I grew up having trouble reading,” Wasserstein commented in an interview with Dr. Sally Shaywitz (Overcoming Dyslexia). Reading continued to be a slow process for Wendy, but when she found an outlet in the arts, especially in theater, she began to flourish in school—yet she was not “cured.” Spelling continually proved difficult for her, and brought down her grades. But things did get better, and better, as she was able to concentrate on things that she could do—the arts, in particular plays and playwriting. “I figured out that they’re short, they’re also printed large, and there’s a lot of white space on the page. And you can go (as I used to do) to the Library of Performing Arts and read and listen to them at the same time. And later, reading the plays again, you can hear the voices of those people. (Overcoming Dyslexia, p. 351)
Despite her difficulties with reading, typing, and spelling, Wendy pushed on with her passion for writing, graduating from Mount Holyoke college with a BA in history, and then from CUNY’s City College with a MA in creative writing. She then earned her MFA a The Yale School of Drama, and continued on to playwriting’s pinnacle—Broadway. “Just because you are not a skilled reader doesn’t mean that you can’t be a writer,” Wendy pointed out, and demonstrated right from the beginning of her successful career. She further proved her point by authoring several non-fiction books, and a novel, Elements of Style, in addition to many successful and popular plays. Her 1988 play, the Heidi Chronicles earned her, among other awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play—she was the first female playwright to win one solo.
“In some ways being dyslexic is a gift, because you think less linearly. And you have to know it’s okay to think out of the box,” Wendy remarked to Dr. Shaywitz. Indeed, her ability to think outside the box, brought her audiences and her actors pioneering plays and witty, intelligent, and strong women characters tackling all aspects of life, love, and politics.
Tony Kushner, the award-winning playwright of “Angels in America,” commented on her “tremendous vitality, optimism and determination” to Hartford Courant Staff Writer Frank Rizzo (Jan 31, 2006. pg. A.1). Her faith in humanity, her genuine kindness, wit, and honesty earned her a place in the hearts of her colleagues and critics; and her prize-winning plays placed her among the greatest drama writers of all time—Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Rogers & Hammerstein.
Her legacy and works continue to touch and inspire others, and beg answers to important questions, despite her shortened life and career. When she died of Lymphoma at the age of 55 in 2006, the lights on Broadway were dimmed in her honor.
*****
Read more:
Wendy Wasserstein writes about her characters and diversity in her plays for Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts.
Playbill's memorial tribute to Wendy Wasserstein by Robert Simonson.
A Wendy Wasserstein Retrospective by Morgan Allen. (Playbill)
"She was known for being a popular, funny playwright, but she was also a woman and a writer of deep conviction and political activism," André Bishop, artistic director of Lincoln Center told Charles Isherwood of the New York Times (January 30, 2006. Link to article). "In Wendy's plays women saw themselves portrayed in a way they hadn't been onstage before — wittily, intelligently and seriously at the same time. We take that for granted now, but it was not the case 25 years ago. She was a real pioneer." Like the roles in her plays, Wendy created her own path as she went through her early years of school, her career, and her late-in-life and single motherhood. Perhaps this attitude began as a necessity, when early on dyslexia made reading, spelling—and writing—incredibly challenging.
“I won a Pulitzer Prize for playwriting, and I grew up having trouble reading,” Wasserstein commented in an interview with Dr. Sally Shaywitz (Overcoming Dyslexia). Reading continued to be a slow process for Wendy, but when she found an outlet in the arts, especially in theater, she began to flourish in school—yet she was not “cured.” Spelling continually proved difficult for her, and brought down her grades. But things did get better, and better, as she was able to concentrate on things that she could do—the arts, in particular plays and playwriting. “I figured out that they’re short, they’re also printed large, and there’s a lot of white space on the page. And you can go (as I used to do) to the Library of Performing Arts and read and listen to them at the same time. And later, reading the plays again, you can hear the voices of those people. (Overcoming Dyslexia, p. 351)
Despite her difficulties with reading, typing, and spelling, Wendy pushed on with her passion for writing, graduating from Mount Holyoke college with a BA in history, and then from CUNY’s City College with a MA in creative writing. She then earned her MFA a The Yale School of Drama, and continued on to playwriting’s pinnacle—Broadway. “Just because you are not a skilled reader doesn’t mean that you can’t be a writer,” Wendy pointed out, and demonstrated right from the beginning of her successful career. She further proved her point by authoring several non-fiction books, and a novel, Elements of Style, in addition to many successful and popular plays. Her 1988 play, the Heidi Chronicles earned her, among other awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play—she was the first female playwright to win one solo.
“In some ways being dyslexic is a gift, because you think less linearly. And you have to know it’s okay to think out of the box,” Wendy remarked to Dr. Shaywitz. Indeed, her ability to think outside the box, brought her audiences and her actors pioneering plays and witty, intelligent, and strong women characters tackling all aspects of life, love, and politics.
Tony Kushner, the award-winning playwright of “Angels in America,” commented on her “tremendous vitality, optimism and determination” to Hartford Courant Staff Writer Frank Rizzo (Jan 31, 2006. pg. A.1). Her faith in humanity, her genuine kindness, wit, and honesty earned her a place in the hearts of her colleagues and critics; and her prize-winning plays placed her among the greatest drama writers of all time—Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Rogers & Hammerstein.
Her legacy and works continue to touch and inspire others, and beg answers to important questions, despite her shortened life and career. When she died of Lymphoma at the age of 55 in 2006, the lights on Broadway were dimmed in her honor.
*****
Read more:
Wendy Wasserstein writes about her characters and diversity in her plays for Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts.
Playbill's memorial tribute to Wendy Wasserstein by Robert Simonson.
A Wendy Wasserstein Retrospective by Morgan Allen. (Playbill)
A girl who met her other side
Film 7pm
Screening on Monday 17 & 24 Nov 2008
By Lucy Fry Mixed media artist, MA Fashion design and Enterprise at the University of Westminster. During the last year, my style has been to communicate ideas around Contemporary Fashion through performance in Photography and short Art Films, using light, colour and camera technology to bring a painterly quality to my images. I've exhibited Sculpture and video installation as part of 'Lucid Intervals' hosted by the Bricklane gallery and the Rag factory gallery September 08. Also through this year I discovered I was Dyslexic this was truly a relief to know why I'm like I am. My main focus now is to just keep making art. I feel positive attracts positive energy and good things come to those who keep trying.
Screening on Monday 17 & 24 Nov 2008
By Lucy Fry Mixed media artist, MA Fashion design and Enterprise at the University of Westminster. During the last year, my style has been to communicate ideas around Contemporary Fashion through performance in Photography and short Art Films, using light, colour and camera technology to bring a painterly quality to my images. I've exhibited Sculpture and video installation as part of 'Lucid Intervals' hosted by the Bricklane gallery and the Rag factory gallery September 08. Also through this year I discovered I was Dyslexic this was truly a relief to know why I'm like I am. My main focus now is to just keep making art. I feel positive attracts positive energy and good things come to those who keep trying.
What is Dyslexia?
The below text is taken from : http://www.dyslexia.uk.com/page30.html
No single definition currently exists to adequately define dyslexia,
including our own definition. The truth is, at present nobody
really knows exactly what dyslexia is or what causes it. However,
we do know much about the dyslexic condition and as a consequence
dyslexia tends to be described in terms of its symptoms or
alternatively in terms of what it is not. For example 'Dyslexia is
not due to low intelligence' or 'Dyslexia is not a disease, it has
no cure'
In your search for information you will discover many definitions
and proposed causes of dyslexia. Writers will put forward their own
views and theories, which will generally differ from the views and
theories of others. Understandably, this is often confusing.
However, if you find yourself in this position and are wondering how
on earth you can begin to understand a condition that has no single
definition, do not despair.
Those who work with dyslexic children and adults on a day-to-day
basis quickly learn to recognise the signs of dyslexia. Although no
two dyslexics are the same, all dyslexics share enough common
symptoms to make recognising the condition possible.
Unlike others, we do not wish to attempt to impose one single
definition upon you. Instead we have listed below a few of the
common definitions currently in circulation.
Whichever definition you identify with, if you suspect that you are dyslexic
yourself or that your child may be dyslexic. Be totally honest with yourself,
because deep down inside you will known that some kind of problem exists
and that is the first step to resolving it.
Definition 1)
Our own simple definition of dyslexia is 'Intelligent, bright or
even gifted individuals, that for no obvious reason, struggle to learn through
the medium of written or spoken language'.
Definition 2)
The World Federation of Neurology defines dyslexia as
'a disorder manifested by difficulties in learning to read, despite
conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and socio-cultural
opportunity'.
Definition 3)
Dyslexia is not just a severe reading disorder
characterised by reversals. It is a syndrome of many and varied
symptoms that affects millions of children and adults.
Definition 4)
Dyslexia is the ability to see multidimensionally,
all at once, or from any one place at a time. The ability to think
in pictures and to register those pictures as real. Thus, you mix
in creative thinking with reality and change what is seen and heard.
Definition 5)
a) To read and spell requires co-ordination of many brain
functions. Problems arise at one or more functional levels.
b) Developmental dyslexia is a neurobiologically-based deficit in
acquiring reading and spelling skills, relative to the person's
general intellectual abilities.
c) Dyslexia is a discrepancy between a high score on intelligence
tests and low scores on reading/spelling tests.
Definition 6)
Dyslexia is a disability that alters the way the
brain processes written material. Affects vary from person to
person. However, all dyslexics read at levels significantly lower
than is typical for their age or intelligence.
Definition 7)
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty characterised by
problems with written or spoken language such as reading, writing,
spelling, speaking, or listening. The word dyslexia describes a
different kind of mind, often gifted, over-productive, and that
learns in a different way.
Definition 8)
Dyslexia is a congenital disturbance of brain
function causing a variety of learning difficulties, especially
relating to reading, writing and spelling.
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
http://www.dyslexia.org.uk
http://www.dyslexia.uk.com
No single definition currently exists to adequately define dyslexia,
including our own definition. The truth is, at present nobody
really knows exactly what dyslexia is or what causes it. However,
we do know much about the dyslexic condition and as a consequence
dyslexia tends to be described in terms of its symptoms or
alternatively in terms of what it is not. For example 'Dyslexia is
not due to low intelligence' or 'Dyslexia is not a disease, it has
no cure'
In your search for information you will discover many definitions
and proposed causes of dyslexia. Writers will put forward their own
views and theories, which will generally differ from the views and
theories of others. Understandably, this is often confusing.
However, if you find yourself in this position and are wondering how
on earth you can begin to understand a condition that has no single
definition, do not despair.
Those who work with dyslexic children and adults on a day-to-day
basis quickly learn to recognise the signs of dyslexia. Although no
two dyslexics are the same, all dyslexics share enough common
symptoms to make recognising the condition possible.
Unlike others, we do not wish to attempt to impose one single
definition upon you. Instead we have listed below a few of the
common definitions currently in circulation.
Whichever definition you identify with, if you suspect that you are dyslexic
yourself or that your child may be dyslexic. Be totally honest with yourself,
because deep down inside you will known that some kind of problem exists
and that is the first step to resolving it.
Definition 1)
Our own simple definition of dyslexia is 'Intelligent, bright or
even gifted individuals, that for no obvious reason, struggle to learn through
the medium of written or spoken language'.
Definition 2)
The World Federation of Neurology defines dyslexia as
'a disorder manifested by difficulties in learning to read, despite
conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and socio-cultural
opportunity'.
Definition 3)
Dyslexia is not just a severe reading disorder
characterised by reversals. It is a syndrome of many and varied
symptoms that affects millions of children and adults.
Definition 4)
Dyslexia is the ability to see multidimensionally,
all at once, or from any one place at a time. The ability to think
in pictures and to register those pictures as real. Thus, you mix
in creative thinking with reality and change what is seen and heard.
Definition 5)
a) To read and spell requires co-ordination of many brain
functions. Problems arise at one or more functional levels.
b) Developmental dyslexia is a neurobiologically-based deficit in
acquiring reading and spelling skills, relative to the person's
general intellectual abilities.
c) Dyslexia is a discrepancy between a high score on intelligence
tests and low scores on reading/spelling tests.
Definition 6)
Dyslexia is a disability that alters the way the
brain processes written material. Affects vary from person to
person. However, all dyslexics read at levels significantly lower
than is typical for their age or intelligence.
Definition 7)
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty characterised by
problems with written or spoken language such as reading, writing,
spelling, speaking, or listening. The word dyslexia describes a
different kind of mind, often gifted, over-productive, and that
learns in a different way.
Definition 8)
Dyslexia is a congenital disturbance of brain
function causing a variety of learning difficulties, especially
relating to reading, writing and spelling.
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
http://www.dyslexia.org.uk
http://www.dyslexia.uk.com
Dyslexia has a language barrier
Readers of Chinese use different parts of the brain from readers of English, write Brian Butterworth and Joey Tangguardian.co.uk, Thursday September 23 2004 01.13 BST Article historyAlan's parents are English, but he was born and grew up in Japan. He would pass as a native speaker of either language. What brought Alan to the notice of Taeko Wydell, an expert on Japanese reading, and Brian Butterworth, was that he was severely dyslexic, but only in one language. In the other, he was probably in the top 10% of readers of his age.
New research by US and Chinese scientists challenges our interpretation of how it is possible to be dyslexic in one language but not another. It shows that readers of Chinese use a different part of their brains to readers of English.
The study, led by Li Hai Tan and reported in Nature, may unexpectedly tell us some key things about how dyslexia affects the brain. Brain functioning, and indeed structure, is moulded by experience. Learning a regular spelling system such as Italian creates differences in brain organisation compared to learning highly irregular English. Italian has 26 rules to learn, which takes about six months; English takes longer because there are many irregularities (and several hundred rules). In Chinese 3,500 characters are needed to read the equivalent of the Daily Mail and about 6,000 characters to read books.
The second main difference is that in English each linguistically distinct sound, or phoneme, maps to a single letter. For example, the three phonemes in "bat" map on to three letters. If one letter is changed it makes a new word. A Chinese character maps to a whole syllable. In Putonghua, the national language of China, there are about 1,800 distinguishable syllables; each syllable can have several meanings and each meaning is typically represented by a distinct character.
How will these differences be reflected in brain organisation? Learning Chinese creates specific demands on the areas for remembering visual patterns. English readers make more use of areas for phoneme processing.
This ability to analyse syllables into phonemes is the key problem in dyslexia. Dyslexics have difficulty segmenting the word "that" into three separate sounds - so fare much worse in learning English than Chinese.
Reported prevalence of dyslexia is much higher in English (about 5-6%) than Chinese. I surveyed 8,000 schoolchildren in the Beijing region, with Yin Wengang of the Chinese Academy of Science, and found that about 1.5% were dyslexic.
This kind of evidence suggests that a single underlying deficit of the ability to analyse words into phonemes can cause dyslexia for any reader, but will be more severe where phonemes are involved. A European team led by Uta Frith of UCL reported in Science a few years ago that English, French and Italian dyslexics all showed the same abnormal activity involving the brain system underlying phonemic analysis.
In Alan, this theory predicts accurately that the affected language will be English, since Japanese does not require analysis into phonemes.
Research by Frith's team shows that small variations in brain organisation are due to orthography, with Italian making more demands on the phonemic system, because it is regular, and English making more demands on the naming system because words cannot be read correctly using phonic rules and have to be named - for example: colonel, yacht, pint. We assume the part of Alan's brain that deals with phonemic analysis is not working efficiently, which causes a problem reading English, compared to Japanese.
The first surprise in Tan's study was that a key peak in brain activity in Chinese readers fell outside the network typically used by European readers. The second surprise was that dyslexics showed lower activation in several key reading areas compared with normal Chinese readers, but this was in a very different brain area from Frith's European dyslexics.
Both Frith and I have argued that dyslexia has a universal basis in the brain that affects phonemic analysis. Tan and his colleagues, by contrast, conclude that "the biological abnormality of impaired reading is dependent on culture". If we are right, Alan uses the same brain network for English and Japanese, and the malfunction only affects English reading. If Tan is right, Alan has separate networks for English and Japanese, and only the former is affected.
A lot will turn on which of us is right. Dyslexia frequently runs in families, and there has been much research trying to identify the genes responsible. If dyslexia is governed by culture, then Chinese dyslexia may be caused by a different genetic anomaly than English dyslexia.
· Brian Butterworth and Joey Tang are in the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
New research by US and Chinese scientists challenges our interpretation of how it is possible to be dyslexic in one language but not another. It shows that readers of Chinese use a different part of their brains to readers of English.
The study, led by Li Hai Tan and reported in Nature, may unexpectedly tell us some key things about how dyslexia affects the brain. Brain functioning, and indeed structure, is moulded by experience. Learning a regular spelling system such as Italian creates differences in brain organisation compared to learning highly irregular English. Italian has 26 rules to learn, which takes about six months; English takes longer because there are many irregularities (and several hundred rules). In Chinese 3,500 characters are needed to read the equivalent of the Daily Mail and about 6,000 characters to read books.
The second main difference is that in English each linguistically distinct sound, or phoneme, maps to a single letter. For example, the three phonemes in "bat" map on to three letters. If one letter is changed it makes a new word. A Chinese character maps to a whole syllable. In Putonghua, the national language of China, there are about 1,800 distinguishable syllables; each syllable can have several meanings and each meaning is typically represented by a distinct character.
How will these differences be reflected in brain organisation? Learning Chinese creates specific demands on the areas for remembering visual patterns. English readers make more use of areas for phoneme processing.
This ability to analyse syllables into phonemes is the key problem in dyslexia. Dyslexics have difficulty segmenting the word "that" into three separate sounds - so fare much worse in learning English than Chinese.
Reported prevalence of dyslexia is much higher in English (about 5-6%) than Chinese. I surveyed 8,000 schoolchildren in the Beijing region, with Yin Wengang of the Chinese Academy of Science, and found that about 1.5% were dyslexic.
This kind of evidence suggests that a single underlying deficit of the ability to analyse words into phonemes can cause dyslexia for any reader, but will be more severe where phonemes are involved. A European team led by Uta Frith of UCL reported in Science a few years ago that English, French and Italian dyslexics all showed the same abnormal activity involving the brain system underlying phonemic analysis.
In Alan, this theory predicts accurately that the affected language will be English, since Japanese does not require analysis into phonemes.
Research by Frith's team shows that small variations in brain organisation are due to orthography, with Italian making more demands on the phonemic system, because it is regular, and English making more demands on the naming system because words cannot be read correctly using phonic rules and have to be named - for example: colonel, yacht, pint. We assume the part of Alan's brain that deals with phonemic analysis is not working efficiently, which causes a problem reading English, compared to Japanese.
The first surprise in Tan's study was that a key peak in brain activity in Chinese readers fell outside the network typically used by European readers. The second surprise was that dyslexics showed lower activation in several key reading areas compared with normal Chinese readers, but this was in a very different brain area from Frith's European dyslexics.
Both Frith and I have argued that dyslexia has a universal basis in the brain that affects phonemic analysis. Tan and his colleagues, by contrast, conclude that "the biological abnormality of impaired reading is dependent on culture". If we are right, Alan uses the same brain network for English and Japanese, and the malfunction only affects English reading. If Tan is right, Alan has separate networks for English and Japanese, and only the former is affected.
A lot will turn on which of us is right. Dyslexia frequently runs in families, and there has been much research trying to identify the genes responsible. If dyslexia is governed by culture, then Chinese dyslexia may be caused by a different genetic anomaly than English dyslexia.
· Brian Butterworth and Joey Tang are in the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Monday 10th November 2008
Film - 7pm
Rahidian Gutterfish
By Benjamin Otos
London’s 8th International Disability Film Festival runs next weekend at the BFI Southbank in London. The events begin on Thursday, February 14th with a screening of the opening night film, Special People, and runs throughout the weekend with a variety of programs that include screenings of older and recent films from around the world, short film collections, conversations with filmmakers and panel discussions. Each film or event will be soft-titled, audio-described, BSL interpreted and/or Palantype transcribed as appropriate. The event is organized by the London Disability Arts Foundation (LADF), a disability-led organization focused on promoting Disability Arts and the work of disabled artists. The LADF was founded in 1986 and registered as a charity in 1992 with core funding from Arts Council England. For more information about the LDAF, and a detailed list of the events, please go to http://www.ldaf.org/index.htm, http://disabilityfilm.org.uk/ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b8agdmkpCf4, http://withtv.typepad.com
Rahidian Gutterfish
By Benjamin Otos
London’s 8th International Disability Film Festival runs next weekend at the BFI Southbank in London. The events begin on Thursday, February 14th with a screening of the opening night film, Special People, and runs throughout the weekend with a variety of programs that include screenings of older and recent films from around the world, short film collections, conversations with filmmakers and panel discussions. Each film or event will be soft-titled, audio-described, BSL interpreted and/or Palantype transcribed as appropriate. The event is organized by the London Disability Arts Foundation (LADF), a disability-led organization focused on promoting Disability Arts and the work of disabled artists. The LADF was founded in 1986 and registered as a charity in 1992 with core funding from Arts Council England. For more information about the LDAF, and a detailed list of the events, please go to http://www.ldaf.org/index.htm, http://disabilityfilm.org.uk/ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b8agdmkpCf4, http://withtv.typepad.com
Monday, 3 November 2008
MONDAY 3rd NOV 2008 BEHIND THE WIRE
Behind the Wire’ set in 1970’s Belfast, examines the conflicts in Northern Ireland during its most tumultuous time in history. The play examines what happened to the families, those left behind and the lives lost to the Maze Prison. Rebecca Gooden trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama as a playwright and graduated 08. Behind the Wire is the first play she has written.
Director Chris Lynch graduated from Central School of Speech and Drama where he majored in writing and directing. He has assisted Richard Foreman in the creation of ' Deep trance behaviour in Potatoland’ (Jan 08). His writing debut in the Buxton Fringe 2006, receiving a best young company nomination for his show '10 ways to fake your own death'. The second son of a former Collary Worker Chris was diagnosed with dyslexia aged 10 and has used it as motivation ever since, taking inspiration from his hero Jackie Steward. Chris is currently writing 'for when the wind blows' as well as several minor plays.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
THE STORY
missfit productions, (www.missfitproductions.org) was born while at Central to present my MA show – a wonderful experiment in which I mixed performance and film in a photobooth – made out of wood and a computer monitor. This is where it began, this interest in crossing the boundary between the forms.
After graduation I new that if I did not carry on making work straightway, there was a chance I may not make anything at all. Once you graduate it’s so easy to get caught up in life and work and surviving, that the privilege of actually being able to make theatre seems like a luxury most cannot afford.
In 2006...feeling a little lost I became self-employed and began teaching drama, even though I did an MA in writing for performance. I worked with Bigfoot for about 18 months. An opportunity arose to hire a small theatre for a week and I jumped for it. A friend and I went half on the fee and we set up a new festival called WRITE SIDE OF THE BRAIN which invited filmmakers, poets and playwrights to submit their work. Another friend sorted the website, which made missfit real in cyber space, who also sorted out the postcards and made up the logo and before I new it, a producing energy was in force. (In February 2008 Burning Houses and missfit co-produced the second WRITE SIDE OF THE BRAIN festival).
I wanted to do it again, only the second time I was looking for a new angle...the angle was me, a dyslexic writer, a secret poet and an aspiring filmmaker. I knew there had to be more people like me out there. I was convinced that if missfit produced a festival for dyslexic storyteller’s, a new experience of entertainment would blossom on the horizon. The concept of the odd becoming accessible also excited me.
DYS(THE)LEXI open its wings in 2007 - the odd kids were telling their stories and now people were paying to hear them, it was wonderful, I felt like I was building playground and inviting all my friends to play. It had a raw energy to it, a raw and low production quality that somehow worked and continues to work into DYSSING MONADYS.
We are now half way through the DYSSING MONADYS Festival. There have been ups and downs and wonderful moments of complete synergy. Most of all it has been emotional because missfit is creating a playground were the 'odd' kids rule and play their, 'games', even if it is only for one night.
This concept coins the philosophy that 'in the playground we play and by playing we discover, and by discovering we learn and by learning we become all knowing'...Well, this is what I teach my 9 year old drama students :) (MAD ABOUT TALENT WEEKEND PERFORMING ARTS)
Every night I learn something new about the kind of theatre I want to be part of. The kind of event I want to create. I discover the possibilities and limitations of my own imagination and will. (Like I said...its been emotional)
So, how do you make good theatre and build a great festival? Bottom line, money because money means good lights, technicians, props, design, costume, salary, venue...and everyone seems impressed with the smell of it too.
If you don't have money, you hope to have some of the magic that money cannot buy. This magic is priceless and being so really hard to cultivate. But it can be found in the people you work with, their generosity and faith in what you are trying to do and these three words, Magic, Generosity, and Faith have made DYSSING MONADYS happen.
I would like to say thank you to the writes, filmmakers, poets, directors, actors and every audience member who has believed in my playground and invite other missfits to get in touch as I am always looking for good storymakers.
Next year I want to co-produce with a company bigger then missfit and am always looking for these creative partnerships so please do email me at dysthelexi@gmail.com. Please visit http://dysthelexi.blogspot.com for up to the minute information on the festival.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
CHO SAB SEC NIGHT
The second night was so much better, the actors were on form, the projector was working, the audenice was warm and the envoroment was cosy...not to mention lots of cakes to go around...thank you god and everyone elas involved :)
Emma Elliott - The Dog and Duck Fables
Emma was part of the first DYS(THE)LEXI festival and has gone on to write a book which is now being published by Olympia. It stated for her with missfit and we are very happy to be mentioned in her book as an infulence.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
MONDAY 20th Oct
Hello
So, just to give people the low down - those who could not make it on Monday. We kidded off with short animations followed by a short film and then my play, which, compared to last week, was a huge sucsess.
So, just to give people the low down - those who could not make it on Monday. We kidded off with short animations followed by a short film and then my play, which, compared to last week, was a huge sucsess.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
MONDAY 20th OCT
Emma Elliot
A Duck's eye view of a dog's world. Emma is a writer, A duck's eye view of a dog's world. Occupation: writer – performing poet – teacher – therapist – professional speaker. Aim: empower - inspire – enlighten. Emma's latest book: 'Back to the Sky: how to fly with DYSLEXIA' is to be published by Olympia Publishers this year. www.olympiapublishers.com
Emma's current performance is a collection of fables called The Dog and Duck Fables. These powerful fables share valuable lessons: to embrace your true nature, to put down the boxing gloves and find inner peace, to face inner fear and to follow your inner calling. Emma_Elliott88@hotmail.com
A Duck's eye view of a dog's world. Emma is a writer, A duck's eye view of a dog's world. Occupation: writer – performing poet – teacher – therapist – professional speaker. Aim: empower - inspire – enlighten. Emma's latest book: 'Back to the Sky: how to fly with DYSLEXIA' is to be published by Olympia Publishers this year. www.olympiapublishers.com
Emma's current performance is a collection of fables called The Dog and Duck Fables. These powerful fables share valuable lessons: to embrace your true nature, to put down the boxing gloves and find inner peace, to face inner fear and to follow your inner calling. Emma_Elliott88@hotmail.com
MONDAY 20th October
FILM
WATCHING
by Anita Gallo
Anita Gallo is passionate about writing, Anita has had a theatre play performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2006) and short films screened on Sky TV (2007-08). Ceri Mill (playing Katie) and Morven Scott (playing Miriam).
anita@anitagallo.com
by Anita Gallo
Anita Gallo is passionate about writing, Anita has had a theatre play performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2006) and short films screened on Sky TV (2007-08). Ceri Mill (playing Katie) and Morven Scott (playing Miriam).
anita@anitagallo.com
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Monday 13th Oct 2008 - Chocolate Sabotage
CHOCOLATE SABOTAGEBy lennie varvarides
What a night...Talk about waiting till the eleventh hour, but we all pulled it off, even with the last minute changes like adding live music on the night, adding waitress, i mean actors to new scenes, stepping in on the day of the show with trays of food, I mean cakes, I mean chocolate eclairs, and if all this was not enough to test the best actors in the world, our first show was in fact our dress rehearsal. The very first time the whole cast was together and performing with all their props and waring their costumes.
What a show...the joys of low budget productions and gorilla marketing to get the job done. To keep going and keep believing in what you are going for. I love it. I really love it...even when everything goes wrong. Thank God we have Monday 20th to put it all right.
Dyslexia Awareness Week
Today i got an email about Dyslexia Awareness Week from the Equality and Diversity department at my university.
I decided send them an email about the festival and about the 20th Oct in particular as that is the show on during awareness week.
I am now going to email the E&D departments of other London Uni's and see if they can incorporate the festival into their awareness week events.
Pennie
I decided send them an email about the festival and about the 20th Oct in particular as that is the show on during awareness week.
I am now going to email the E&D departments of other London Uni's and see if they can incorporate the festival into their awareness week events.
Pennie
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Monday 13 October 2008
This will be our second night.
We have animation by Sarah Murphy & Tasha Hollywood and poetry Sarah Murphy
and theatre and...cakes, well they are not cakes, they are chocolate eclairs.....
We have animation by Sarah Murphy & Tasha Hollywood and poetry Sarah Murphy
and theatre and...cakes, well they are not cakes, they are chocolate eclairs.....
7:30PM PLAY:
Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morelll, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morelll, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
Monday, 6 October 2008
THE FIRST NIGHT
Q&A time with the playwright...
Is it fashionable to be dyslexic? - If it is not, it will be :)
Is it fashionable to be dyslexic? - If it is not, it will be :)
What a wonderful start to the festival. Great energy, cosy atmosphere and cheap beer...and we have not even began to explain the production yet.
LD, by Matt Heftler received a debut performance in London, previously the play had a staged reading in New York, but MH said, "The past production did not have the same insight, or illustrate the same emotion." We take it the playwright was happy with our rendition.
Samantha Hopkins was both believable and slick as Tracy Johnston, the determined and ambitious book editor, while Adrian Rodrigues portrayed both the passion and frustration of Michael Greene, the dyslexic playwright with emotional problems.
One hour flew by so fast and now there are only another 7 nights left. Each Monday missfit will be producing one new play, as well as presenting short films/animations by dyslexic makers and a bit of poetry to get us all in the mood for contemplation.
Please come out and support these nights - you will be inspired !
Sunday, 5 October 2008
LD by Matt Heftler
By Matt Heftler,
Directed by Malwina Sworczuk,
Staring Samantha Hopkins as Tracy Johnston and Adrian Rodrigues as Michael Greene
Music by Jerzy Bielski
LD is about the relationship between Mike Green, a crabby and frustrated dyslexic novelist and his new no nonsense editor, Tracey Johnston. Tracey's son, Kenny is also dyslexic and she doesn't know how to handle his disability. Whilst working with Mike she learns of the physical and emotional difficulties that are part of being dyslexic. Through this new relationship, Mike also discovers how to cope better with his disabilities.
LD by MATT HEFTLER - ONE NIGHT ONLY - Monday 6 OCT 7PM
THE CAST -
ADRIAN RODRIGUES (Michael Greene) Graduated from Drama Studio London in July 08. Previously he has played a chain saw killer in a short film, Mendoza on Fonejacker (E4), and DL in Feelgood. (The Times weekend choice May 07).email: acrc68@yahoo.co.uk
SAMANTHA HOPKINS (Tracey Johnston)
Graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Credits include, Madame de Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Sarah in O Go My Man. Mira in Pluto (Grit Productions/Mokita Productions - Blue Elephant Theatre) and Gemma in Involution (Mokita Productions - Pacific Playhouse and then Pleasance Dome for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival). She was a finalist for the 2007 Alan Bates Bursary offered by the Actor's Centre and assessed by a prestigious panel including Janet Suzman and Anton Lesser. Short films, including Dulcie in The Most Important Question You Will Ever Ask (Storm56). Samhops@hotmail.com
Graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Credits include, Madame de Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Sarah in O Go My Man. Mira in Pluto (Grit Productions/Mokita Productions - Blue Elephant Theatre) and Gemma in Involution (Mokita Productions - Pacific Playhouse and then Pleasance Dome for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival). She was a finalist for the 2007 Alan Bates Bursary offered by the Actor's Centre and assessed by a prestigious panel including Janet Suzman and Anton Lesser. Short films, including Dulcie in The Most Important Question You Will Ever Ask (Storm56). Samhops@hotmail.com
Friday, 3 October 2008
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Chocolate Sabotage, Monday 13 & 20th Oct
Do they
love each other...what keeps them together? what stops Larry cheating? .... why does Sasha like to flirt...a modern day love story where love is all a bit too complicated to explain.
DYSSING MONADYS
Not long to go now .....
Another night up late, but I am excited and extremely happy that so many people are getting involved and caring about the festival. It has a real feeling of community and a sense of...well, it just feels like everyone care. I now, it sounds a bit wet, but I'm feeling emotional.
This event has come toghter with a shoe string budget but the work is exceptional. Each of the plays have strong directors with passionate casts. Every night of DYSSING MONADYS will be magical. Though, I could do with a few more poets and short filmmakers.
Know any?
Please help to spread the word about what we are doing and raise the profile of talented dyslexic around the world as part of Adult Dyslexia Awarness Week.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
DYSSING MONADYS FESTIVAL LINE UP
MONDAY OCTOBER 13
7pm FILM/Animation: Tasha Hollywood
7:15pm POET: Sarah Murphy
7:30PM PLAY:
Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morell, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
MONDAY OCTOBER 27
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Deception, Illusion and Nate
by Catie O'Keefe
directed by Amanda Guiseppi
MONDAY NOVEMBER 10
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30pm PLAY: The Crucifixion Of Madeline McKay
by Alex Morris
directed by Steve Harris
cast: Beverley Eve, Louise Jackson
MONDAY NOVEMBER 24
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Susanna
by N. N. Rakshin
directed by Vince
cast: Suzanne Goldberg, Gabriella Schmidt, Natasha Radski, Simon Burbage, Neil Suarez, Frank Threapleton-Horroks, John Hickey
7pm FILM/Animation: Tasha Hollywood
7:15pm POET: Sarah Murphy
7:30PM PLAY:
Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morell, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
MONDAY OCTOBER 27
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Deception, Illusion and Nate
by Catie O'Keefe
directed by Amanda Guiseppi
MONDAY NOVEMBER 10
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30pm PLAY: The Crucifixion Of Madeline McKay
by Alex Morris
directed by Steve Harris
cast: Beverley Eve, Louise Jackson
MONDAY NOVEMBER 24
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Susanna
by N. N. Rakshin
directed by Vince
cast: Suzanne Goldberg, Gabriella Schmidt, Natasha Radski, Simon Burbage, Neil Suarez, Frank Threapleton-Horroks, John Hickey
DYSSING MONADYS FESTIVAL LINE UP
MONDAY OCTOBER 6
7pm FILM/Animation: Sarah Murphy
7:15pm POET: Henry Fleet
7:30PM PLAY: LD
by Matt Heftler
directed by Malwina Sworczuk
cast: Samantha Hopkins, Adrian Rodriguez-Cova
MONDAY OCTOBER 20
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: Emma Elliott
The Dog And Duck Fables
7:30PM PLAY: Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morell, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
MONDAY NOVEMBER 3
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30pm PLAY: Behind The Wire
by Rebecca Gooden
directed by
cast:
MONDAY NOVEMBER 17
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Susanna
by N. N. Rakshin
directed by Vince
cast: SuzanneGoldberg, Gabriella Schmidt, Natasha Radski, Simon Burbage, Neil Suarez, Frank Threapleton-Horroks, John Hickey
7pm FILM/Animation: Sarah Murphy
7:15pm POET: Henry Fleet
7:30PM PLAY: LD
by Matt Heftler
directed by Malwina Sworczuk
cast: Samantha Hopkins, Adrian Rodriguez-Cova
MONDAY OCTOBER 20
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: Emma Elliott
The Dog And Duck Fables
7:30PM PLAY: Chocolate Sabotage
by Lennie Varvarides
directed by Lennie Varvarides
cast: Alex Tanner, Louise Morell, Claire Rafferty, Chryssanthy Kofidou
MONDAY NOVEMBER 3
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30pm PLAY: Behind The Wire
by Rebecca Gooden
directed by
cast:
MONDAY NOVEMBER 17
7pm FILM: TBA
7:15pm POET: TBA
7:30PM PLAY: Susanna
by N. N. Rakshin
directed by Vince
cast: SuzanneGoldberg, Gabriella Schmidt, Natasha Radski, Simon Burbage, Neil Suarez, Frank Threapleton-Horroks, John Hickey
Monday, 22 September 2008
Under her spell: Sally Gardner's I, Coriander, was voted best book by a 55,000-strong panel of schoolchildren.
Michelle Pauli
guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday December 14 2005 15:52 GMT
Article history
An author with severe dyslexia, who did not learn to read until she was 14, has beaten Philip Pullman to this year's Nestle children's book prize. Sally Gardner's fantasy adventure, I, Coriander, was chosen by a panel of schoolchildren as the best book in the nine-to-11 years category.
Speaking after the lunchtime ceremony at the British Library, Gardner said that she was "bowled over and completely flabbergasted" by her gold medal win. "If some of my teachers could see me now, they would not believe it," she added.
Gardner was labelled as unteachable and sent to a special school as a result of her dyslexia, which remained undiagnosed until she was 12. She changed her first name from Sarah to Sally because it was easier for her to spell and she believes that her learning difficulty helps her to write for the preteen age group.
"I really have to think about long words," she explained. "If I can't spell them I won't include them unless they are really necessary or are simply wonderful words."
Her winning novel tells the story of Coriander, the daughter of a 17th-century London silk merchant, who endures a miserable childhood in the care of a Puritanical stepmother. Escaping to a "fairy kingdom", she learns about herself and her mother's heritage and returns to Cromwell's London charged with a task.
Maddie Toole and Laura Palmer, both 10, of Beccles middle school in Beccles, Suffolk, were part of the 55,000-strong children's judging panel for the prizes, and attended the ceremony with their classmates. They both voted for I, Coriander. "The description of the characters and the fairy world is really good," Maddie said. "And the plot was really good too - I couldn't put it down!" agreed Laura.
Philip Pullman's The Scarecrow and His Servant won the silver medal in the age category, with Livi Michael's The Whispering Road taking third place.
In the six-to-eight years category, Nick Butterworth's The Whisperer, a tale of two cats who fall in love, won the gold medal. Corby Flood by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, who won the gold last year with Fergus Crane, came second this time and Michael Rosen's marvellously brave and mould-breaking Sad Book, based on the author's own pain after the death of his son Eddie, was awarded bronze.
In the five-years-and-under picture book section, Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers won the gold medal for a book described by the chair of the adult judging panel, Julia Eccleshare, as "an emotional and beautiful journey" by a penguin. The Dancing Tiger by Malachy Doyle won the silver and Wolves by Emily Gravett, the bronze.
The Nestle prize is now in its 21st year and previous Nestle prize-winners include all the children's laureates - Anne Fine, Quentin Blake, Michael Morpurgo and Jacqueline Wilson - while JK Rowling and Lauren Child have each won three medals.
guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday December 14 2005 15:52 GMT
Article history
An author with severe dyslexia, who did not learn to read until she was 14, has beaten Philip Pullman to this year's Nestle children's book prize. Sally Gardner's fantasy adventure, I, Coriander, was chosen by a panel of schoolchildren as the best book in the nine-to-11 years category.
Speaking after the lunchtime ceremony at the British Library, Gardner said that she was "bowled over and completely flabbergasted" by her gold medal win. "If some of my teachers could see me now, they would not believe it," she added.
Gardner was labelled as unteachable and sent to a special school as a result of her dyslexia, which remained undiagnosed until she was 12. She changed her first name from Sarah to Sally because it was easier for her to spell and she believes that her learning difficulty helps her to write for the preteen age group.
"I really have to think about long words," she explained. "If I can't spell them I won't include them unless they are really necessary or are simply wonderful words."
Her winning novel tells the story of Coriander, the daughter of a 17th-century London silk merchant, who endures a miserable childhood in the care of a Puritanical stepmother. Escaping to a "fairy kingdom", she learns about herself and her mother's heritage and returns to Cromwell's London charged with a task.
Maddie Toole and Laura Palmer, both 10, of Beccles middle school in Beccles, Suffolk, were part of the 55,000-strong children's judging panel for the prizes, and attended the ceremony with their classmates. They both voted for I, Coriander. "The description of the characters and the fairy world is really good," Maddie said. "And the plot was really good too - I couldn't put it down!" agreed Laura.
Philip Pullman's The Scarecrow and His Servant won the silver medal in the age category, with Livi Michael's The Whispering Road taking third place.
In the six-to-eight years category, Nick Butterworth's The Whisperer, a tale of two cats who fall in love, won the gold medal. Corby Flood by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, who won the gold last year with Fergus Crane, came second this time and Michael Rosen's marvellously brave and mould-breaking Sad Book, based on the author's own pain after the death of his son Eddie, was awarded bronze.
In the five-years-and-under picture book section, Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers won the gold medal for a book described by the chair of the adult judging panel, Julia Eccleshare, as "an emotional and beautiful journey" by a penguin. The Dancing Tiger by Malachy Doyle won the silver and Wolves by Emily Gravett, the bronze.
The Nestle prize is now in its 21st year and previous Nestle prize-winners include all the children's laureates - Anne Fine, Quentin Blake, Michael Morpurgo and Jacqueline Wilson - while JK Rowling and Lauren Child have each won three medals.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Makeing Waves
Just under three weeks to go and we have six amazing plays by new writers who are also dyslexic. Being dyslexic means you have a pretty mad time learning, plus side is you come up with new ways of making sense of the world, new ways of memorising and filling in the blanks. My biggest issue is spelling and organisation. I am not very practical and I do not have any concept of time, but I do enjoy saying YES alot and believing that I can do it...I read this article that said dyslexic people make wonderful entrepreneurs because they cannot see the risks involved in a new business venture - I totally agree with this. RISK - what risk....
Friday, 19 September 2008
We need Performance Poets and Filmmakers
We are looking for 24 dyslexic performance poets and 12 filmmakers -
PERFORMANCE POETS:
Ten poems max. May sent in CD or/and DVDs of live performances, along with CV's.
FILMMAKERS: 1-20 minutes max. You many submit more than one film on any subject matter. Films must have a title, full credits, and CV.
please contact lennie asap at dysthelexi@gmail.com before 30 Sept
PERFORMANCE POETS:
Ten poems max. May sent in CD or/and DVDs of live performances, along with CV's.
FILMMAKERS: 1-20 minutes max. You many submit more than one film on any subject matter. Films must have a title, full credits, and CV.
please contact lennie asap at dysthelexi@gmail.com before 30 Sept
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
CASTING FOR MALE AND FEMALE ROLES
DATE: WED 10 SEPT 08
TIME:7PM
PLACE: 35 KINGSLAND ROAD, SHOREDITCH
PLEASE BRING YOUR CV AND HEADSHOT ON THE DAY
YOU WILL BE READING FROM THE SCRIPT ON THE DAY
Please email vinceldt@aol.com for a time slot and email him your CV and Headshot too.
PARTS:
Peter – 5'10 to 6'2 – dark hair – very fit - 20s (to play 40s) A student making a living working on the docks. He is a romantic. Singer. In Act 2 he is financially secure but not happy with life.
Alexander – medium length dark hair - average build – 20s (to play 40s)A student. Good natured. Enjoys life.
Michael / Arthur – short blonde or ginger – bearded – husky frame - 20s (to play 40s) Michael
A student. Obsessed with telling the truth. He is very self-assured. / Arthur – an adoring fan of
Peter's who is also sleeping with Peter's wife, Olga.Mr. Andrew / Ivan – 5'10 to 6'2 – dark hair – slim - early 20s (to play 60s)Mr. Andrew – Old drunk landlord. / Ivan – a young impulsive romantic. His mother is Susanna.
Susanna – 5'6 to 5'10 - long dark hair – athletic – 20s (to play 40s) A student studying literature. Witty. She believes herself immune to passion, but falls for Peter. In Act 2 she is married to Arthur.
Irina / Olga – blonde hair – imposing figure - 20s (to play 40s)Irina – A headstrong woman also studying literature. Olga – She is the eccentric daughter of a wealthy family. She babies her husband Peter as well as her lover Arthur.
Nina / Elena – dark or multi-colored hair – petite – early 20sNina – She is studying literature and plans to become a teacher, but isn't 100% happy about it. / Elena – a troublesome servant who falls for Ivan.
TIME:7PM
PLACE: 35 KINGSLAND ROAD, SHOREDITCH
PLEASE BRING YOUR CV AND HEADSHOT ON THE DAY
YOU WILL BE READING FROM THE SCRIPT ON THE DAY
Please email vinceldt@aol.com for a time slot and email him your CV and Headshot too.
PARTS:
Peter – 5'10 to 6'2 – dark hair – very fit - 20s (to play 40s) A student making a living working on the docks. He is a romantic. Singer. In Act 2 he is financially secure but not happy with life.
Alexander – medium length dark hair - average build – 20s (to play 40s)A student. Good natured. Enjoys life.
Michael / Arthur – short blonde or ginger – bearded – husky frame - 20s (to play 40s) Michael
A student. Obsessed with telling the truth. He is very self-assured. / Arthur – an adoring fan of
Peter's who is also sleeping with Peter's wife, Olga.Mr. Andrew / Ivan – 5'10 to 6'2 – dark hair – slim - early 20s (to play 60s)Mr. Andrew – Old drunk landlord. / Ivan – a young impulsive romantic. His mother is Susanna.
Susanna – 5'6 to 5'10 - long dark hair – athletic – 20s (to play 40s) A student studying literature. Witty. She believes herself immune to passion, but falls for Peter. In Act 2 she is married to Arthur.
Irina / Olga – blonde hair – imposing figure - 20s (to play 40s)Irina – A headstrong woman also studying literature. Olga – She is the eccentric daughter of a wealthy family. She babies her husband Peter as well as her lover Arthur.
Nina / Elena – dark or multi-colored hair – petite – early 20sNina – She is studying literature and plans to become a teacher, but isn't 100% happy about it. / Elena – a troublesome servant who falls for Ivan.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
In the Rehearsal Room - For Chocolate Sabotage
DYSSING MONADYS
Sasha needs to be sick, Larry has to wach, Sasha knows Larry is whatching, and Larry feels bad, but he cant say he feels bad, so they have a domestic in their bathroom....instead.
Well suspend your disbelief.
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
DYSMING MONADYS
Back in May 2006, while we were putting on Write Side Of The Brain, I had this mad idea that there should be a festival for Dyslexic writers. I had the name of the festival in my head. It was going to be called, DYS(the)LEXI. in March 2007 DYS(the)LEXI took form. Ideas are powerful so have as many of them as you can, often and without rest. The more you have, the more you keep getting and each and everyone is completely possible.
We never got any funding for DYS(the)LEXI - well we did, but the £250 RB was able to get, vanished in the expenses of our budget before we even saw it.
This year we have even less money to work with, but somehow what we lack in money we make up in people and people are a more valuable currency in theatre.
Amy H for example is my rock. She made the website and got us a top google ranking in the first few months of going live, because she is amazing and know what she is doing.
People all over the world have hared about us through our gorilla marketing and I know that missfit productions will be around for as long as I am.
DYSSING MONADYS is low budget, but that means we have all the freedom in the world to play by our own rules.
DYS(the)LEXI Presents DYSSING MONADYS
2008 is even bigger then last year, its become fashionable to be dyslexic and everyone is coming out of the closet...yeah.
DYSSING MONADYS is part of the Adult Dyslexia Awareness Week and we are doing everything we can to promote our festival playwrights, poets and filmmakers. Its a shame we can not find any brave directors who want to work with us...we are just too challenging, obviously:)
If you are brave and think you can direct, what many other directors are saying they cant, email lennie at dysthelexi@gmail.com today.
DYSSING MONADYS is part of the Adult Dyslexia Awareness Week and we are doing everything we can to promote our festival playwrights, poets and filmmakers. Its a shame we can not find any brave directors who want to work with us...we are just too challenging, obviously:)
If you are brave and think you can direct, what many other directors are saying they cant, email lennie at dysthelexi@gmail.com today.
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DYS(the)LEXI
Celebrating Dyslexics