On 22 June 2023, people we support in Nottingham came together to perform ‘This is me’, a new play inspired by their lived experiences.

We are delighted to share the playscript for you to read and enjoy.

We really hope you enjoy the script. Before you read it, please read our copyright disclaimer.

The script is based on the real, lived experiences of the people supported by our Nottingham services. Because of this, we’re not able to consent for the script to be re-purposed or re-performed outside of United Response. If you would like support developing a show like ‘This is me’ in your service, please get in touch with Olivia.Briggs@unitedresponse.org.uk to discuss consultation services.

Staging Notes

This play was staged using a narrator-actor model.

A team of four narrators spoke all of the words in the play, while actors performed a series of movement sequences.

Part one: restriction

N1: Things always felt different with me. Things always were different with me. 

N2: It was hard when family didn’t always understand.

N3: Was I meant to be left feeling isolated and lonely?

N1: Arguments, confrontation and confusion.

N2: My family struggled to support my needs and nurture me as I grew.

N3: Misunderstandings left me feeling restricted which became a normal part of life with me.

N1: I became a target. A target in the community. I didn’t know why. Looked at differently, treated differently, I belonged differently.

N2: My parents along with me struggled with my differences.

N3: Being in a place that had no similarity I ran away – I felt like I was left with no choice but to run away.

N1: This left me feeling like a problem and someone who had done something wrong. 

N2: When my family could no longer cope and everything became too much, instead of love and support, I was sent and moved on.

N3: With no choice in where I went to live, I was restricted with my wants and needs. How would you feel with your life choices being decided for you?

N1: I went into systems that were not tailored for me, systems that were not catered to serve my additional needs. How was I was expected to rely and thrive in these systems?

N2: I felt trapped, lonely and isolated – I was given consequences like a child. Set meals times, restricted to seeing my family and what I could do with my money.

N3: In the services, the environment was intense and restrictive. There were locks, restraint and control. The power of my life was in the hands of the staff. My life had become institutionalised.

Part two: breaking free

N1: And then things changed.

N2: The journey became new and started to look different. Things still made me nervous and were daunting to think about.

N3: It took a while for things to look brighter. Especially when there wasn’t any trust with the relationships with the things and people around me.

N1: As time passes new space and opportunity to learn appeared. There were not only new things happening but new spaces and cultures were there.

N2: Starting to recognise who I was, what was important to me and what I was happy to be a part of, felt liberating.

N3: I was given the freedom to make choices and grow in my own confidence and independence.

N1: I found that where I was and who I was with enabled me to become comfortable. And with that, comfortable relationships bloomed between myself, the staff and the people I live with.

N2: From relationships I learnt that respect was a two-way thing. Respect made me feel human and it grew my self-esteem.

N3: This helped me believe in myself and look forward to the future.

Part three: freedom

N1: And here we are now. In the present.

N2: A new era of support, environments and the opportunity of a life that is steady, consistent and healthy.

N3: With my new found esteem and this new nurturing environment I feel capable to learn and make future goals. To be ambitious.

N4: For far too many years, I lived a life that I felt others had chosen for me.

N1: A captive of thoughts that were not my own. But as of now I have fought my way to a new kind of freedom.

N2: I am learning life is now like a breath of fresh air.

N3: I figuring out who I am, what I like doing and where I want to go.

N4: Holidays, day trips, shopping, watching movies, being social, going out for meals, freedom with my travel, being able to access the community, family time, emotional support and volunteering.

N1: Within all these things I have choice and control. I am able to be supported with planning, organising and completing my favourite activities and goals.

N2: Care is person-centred! It is about me and about my personal needs. Staff no longer take the easiest or quickest option but we work together as a team to make sure my choices and care are just right for me.

N3: I feel protected with my freedom, choice and control, whilst it is still manageable.

N4: Where I live now, there are so many new opportunities to be social, to join in groups or hubs and opportunities to be social with who I would like to be social with. I belong in this new community! I share experiences and we can share our freedom with each other. 

(All together)

N2: And whilst I recognise life is hard and has its darker moments, life does have a light to it. This light is my freedom.