For the first time, learners from a special needs school in Brackenfell took to the stage at the 15th Shakespeare Schools Festival held in Cape Town over the weekend.
The crowd cheered after the Paarl School for the Neural Disableds performance of an adaptation of William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream at the District Six Homecoming Centre. Performers included learners with physical disabilities, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.
For many of the learners, it was their first time performing on a real stage, and some had not been to a theatre before.
When youre physically disabled, its very difficult for your family to take you places like this, explained Alet Marais, the head of the intermediate phase at the school.