The Mid-Career Commission (MCC) is an element of the In Good Company programme designed to support theatre makers and companies with an established practice, identity and a strong track record of creating contemporary theatre; an artist or company who has made 2 to 3 shows.
The Best Days of Your Life is a collaboratively written stage play exploring disabled and neurodivergent people’s experience of the British school system, and how our schools are failing children and young people. By turns touching, infuriating and hilarious, this play challenges perceptions of disabled people, holds the government to account, but is also an entertaining visit to the theatre.
Through the mid-career commission, Naomi will receive a commission fee of £5000, 2 weeks’ rehearsal space at one or two of the IGC partner venues, the potential to perform the piece at the Departure Lounge festival at Derby Theatre, plus mentorship from the IGC Creative Producer and support from the partner venues.
Naomi Westerman said:
“I am thrilled to be awarded the In Good Company Mid-Career Commission to develop The Best Days of Your Life, a semi-verbatim stage play exploring disabled young people’s experience of school and issues around access within the education system. This commission will provide paid work for a number of disabled artists; empower disabled people to tell their own stories; and facilitate broader discussion and awareness of some of the issues facing disabled children and young people and children with special educational needs in accessing their legal right to an education and appropriate educational support. However, The Best Days of Your Life is not a polemic, but a funny and warm account of the touching, bizarre, or downright hilarious experiences of going to school while disabled.”
Emily Coleman and Natalie Chan (In Good Company) said:
“We thought Naomi Westerman’s project, amplifying the stories of disabled children, was a vital and necessary one. Therefore, we are really delighted that support from Derby Theatre has enabled us to offer this commission. We are excited about the plans of running workshops in our local community and are confident this project will have meaningful and positive impact.”
In Good Company previously announced Hot Coals Productions with their comic production of Earshot as the other Mid-Career Commission.