Film
Growing Up Down’s (re-run)
The BBC has re-released Emmy-nominated, award-winning documentary filmmaker Will Jessop’s film Growing Up Down's on @BBCiPlayer. It's the inspiring story of Tommy Jessop and friends tackling Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This powerful documentary follows a group of young actors with Down's Syndrome as they create a touring production of Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the process, the play begins to blur with their real lives. The film, originally released 03 Feb 2014, is in English and is 57 minutes long. Cast: Cast: William Jessop (Self - Narrator) · Anna Brisbane (Self) · Peter Clerke (Self - Theatre Director) · Tommy Jessop (Hamlet) · Ros Davies (Self) · James Elsworthy (Self) · Katy Francis (Ophelia) · Jane Jessop (Self - Founder, Blue Apple Theatre) · Lawrie Morris (Self). Music by Molly Nyman. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer here.
Director Will Jessop
William Jessop is a producer and director known for Paul's Story (2013), 25 Siblings and Me (2020) and The Holidaymakers (2015).
Blue Apple’s actors worked with the filmmaker William Jessop to create powerful, issue-based short films from the point of view of people with learning disability.
Films including Paul’s Story about disability hate crime, and Freddie’s Story about going to hospital, are currently used in training across the country.
Will has also created DVDs of various Blue Apple Theatre productions including Hamlet, Living Without Fear and The Government Inspector.
Paul's Story
A 20-minute film about disability hate crime.
This important film was commissioned by the Home Office Community Action Against Crime Innovation Fund and developed in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary, involving over 100 members of the local community.
Please contact admin@blueappletheatre.com
Paul's Story Trailer from William Jessop on Vimeo.
Freddie's Story
Freddie’s Story is a high quality 20-minute training film about people with learning disabilities for everyone working in healthcare including medical students, nurses, doctors, and receptionists.
The film was inspired by Mencap’s Death by Indifference report, and aims to help provide the mandatory training in learning disability recommended by Sir Jonathan Michael’s Inquiry into Healthcare For All.
Freddie’s Story addresses many different aspects of the hospital environment through an engaging narrative based on real experiences and sound medical practice. As Freddie progresses from first arrival to correct diagnosis, giving consent and entering a ward, the film gives simple steps to good practice in improving care and diagnosis, with a focus on improving communication and inspiring everyone to respect and value people with a learning disability.
The film includes face to camera teaching from both actors with a learning disability and a real hospital consultant. There is also a useful summary at the end. It can be used to support lectures, for individual use in stand-alone training or to stimulate workshop discussion. Extracts can develop particular areas of teaching such as seeking consent or taking medical history.
Freddie’s Story was created by Blue Apple Theatre and directed by William Jessop. The film features a mix of learning disabled actors and medical professionals. The film was commissioned by Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and filmed in partnership with and on location at Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust.
FREDDIE'S STORY - Extract from William Jessop on Vimeo.
Performance DVDs
Many of Blue Apple's plays, including Hamlet, The Government Inspector and A Midsummer Night's Dream are available to purchase on DVD. Please contact admin@blueappletheatre.com