What participants have said... Cian Bell is a film & photography student who stammers, who also volunteers for BSA Scotland: "Last year, the mystery of my stammering and how to deal with it became more of an issue. I contacted BSA Scotland when I read about the pilot workshops for 'Outspoken'. It was extraordinary that they were organising drama workshops just as I had been wondering if and when such a thing might come up! I was interested in working creatively alongside artists and fellow 'stammerheids'. I can only say the workshops unleashed unknown aspects of my personality and changed my whole perspective on communication. It was hilarious and very entertaining to watch my new friends express themselves in such a wonderful and wacky way! I think I also became more self aware, more patient and a better listener." Ros Urquhart, an art therapist, comments: "I always thought drama was for people who were confident in themselves and their bodies. I never thought I could stand up in front of people and express myself. The workshops allowed me to find a voice that was deep inside that hadn't come out very much. We didn't talk about the fact that we stammered. We just had fun!" Campbell Lauder graduated in screenwriting for film and television: "My stammering, and people's reactions to it, has cast a dark shadow, which to this day I struggle to cope with. Attending the pilot drama workshops opened my eyes to the possibility that I could try new things and not be afraid." Richard Perry is a civil engineer who also participated in the pilot workshops: "The workshops undoubtedly increased my confidence in expressing myself in verbal and non-verbal ways. In the past I held back from speaking, but I have recently felt more able to put myself forward. This is a change I noticed in others as well. They took the focus of communication away from just speech. I am much more aware of how tone of voice, gesture and other aspects of body language affect self-expression."

Following some early pilot sessions in 2007, the project started properly with the establishment of a group of young adults who stammer, aged 16-30, in March 2008.

This group, led by drama worker Louise Brown, met for weekly evening sessions at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow to explore the benefits of drama to them personally. Sessions involved lots of physical and voice based games, mime, improvisation and some work from scripts. The initial aim was to have fun, let go, make friends, boost confidence and enhance communication skills in a creative, energetic way.

Workshops lead to intensive week, October 2008

From the outset, however, there was always a plan to take things further. The group went on to participate in a second series of workshops in late summer 2008 that introduced new elements such as writing and film-making.

Working with Taro (right) during the intensive week.

In October 2008 an intensive week, led by playwright Davey Anderson, shifted the focus to eliciting participants' personal stories about stammering and the group thereafter became expert consultants to the play.

The intensive week was joined by Taro Alexander, Artistic Director and person who stammers from 'Our Time Theatre', New York. Taro facilitated two days of workshops and his unique combined experience of theatre and stammering also inspired material that ended up in the final script.