Rochdale to host world premiere

Animals is a hard hitting drama which is intended to highlight the issue of Disability Hate Crime

A new play specially written by BAFTA nominated screenwriter and film maker Eleanor Yule, will have its World Premiere at Rochdale Town Hall.

Animals is a hard hitting drama which is intended to highlight the issue of disability hate
crime.

Set in and around a pet shop in Rochdale, it tells the story of Max, a young man with a learning disability who falls in with a gang of youths who he thinks are his friends. The abuse he suffers, known as disability hate crime, has risen by 25% over the past year.

Actors from Rochdale’s M6 Theatre Company will perform the play, which has been commissioned by Heywood based PossAbilities, which supports people with learning disabilities, and Rochdale Safeguarding Adults Board.

Rachel Law, Chief Executive of PossAbilities, said: “It’s totally unacceptable that people are bullied and abused just because they have a disability. That’s why we have invited schools to watch this play, so that we get young people thinking about this as an issue. They are the ones who can help us to stamp it out in the future”.