You Will Always Surprise Others, by Just Being Who You are - Introduction

It was incredibly intimidating, incredibly overwhelming. . . . . .to walk into a place where, so many. . . . . .amazing actors have come and gone and expect them to pick l ittle old me. I'm not ashamed of being dyslexic and I think the more people know. . . . . .they'll understand the needs that I need. Yeah sure, there'll be people who will tell you ''You cannot do it.'' But you've got to be able to sit there and go. ''Hey, I'm here. I wanna try.'' I wanted the best training for mysel f and coming to the audition. . . . . .it felt a very right place to be and I'd seen performances from the College. I remember seeing Kevin Turner and Lisa Welham, they're both in Phoenix Dance Company. They were on the stage in third year doing a class at the time. . . . . .and I just remember seeing the physical ity of their bodies and. . . . . .seeing the way they move and I just said, you know ''This is . . . . . .this is where I wanna be, I wanna be l ike that.'' The school itsel f always speak about it being. . . . . .a very family orientated atmosphere, very supportive. . . . . .and they encourage us to be supportive of one another. . . . . .and one of the first speeches that the Principal gave on our first day. . . . . .mentioned the fact that we will probably know the people that we train with. . . . . .for the next two years, they will be the people that we know best in our l ives. I'm really enjoying it. I've learnt lots of new stuff. A lot more than I thought I was going to learn. It couldn't have been actually any better environment for me. . . . . .'cos the mix of people, people from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina. . . . . .everwyhere over the world, and they're all coming here. Probably theatre is one of the professions where. . . . . .you can surpass that kind of block that people have. . . . . .with people who are disabled. And to be the very first deaf person to come in. . . . . .to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, RAD A. . . . . . I pinch mysel f each day. It makes me cry.