In 2016, Henry Leroy-Salta (actor/theatre director) began facilitating drama sessions when he was a teaching assistant at a college for students with learning disabilities. On request of the students, who showed great passion for acting and performing, these classes became a regular feature in the week which led to two successful student performances at the Southwark Playhouse.
 
 
After the students graduated from College, Henry and theatre-maker/dramatherapist Alexander Tol reached out to the group with the idea of creating an R&D short film script about the graduates' last day in College. After a fundraising campaign the group were able to raise £3000 to facilitate a devising workshop together with the graduates for a weekend of paid work. The group devised their own dialogue which was transcribed into a shooting script and aptly called: Last Day.
 
 
The script was finalised at the end of 2019, just before the pandemic. It was during the group Zoom rehearsals that the idea of Kurly Kale Theatre Group was formed. Every Saturday without fail, the group (with an increasing number of members) came together to rehearse the script, along with more and more drama games and exercises. 3 years later, Henry and Alex continue to facilitate weekly online drama-for-wellbeing sessions.
 
 
Alongside the weekly Zoom sessions, Alex and Henry hosted a talent variety show presented by performers with learning disabilities to celebrate creatives with Disabilities and Neurodiversity in the performing arts. The show (hosted by the South London Theatre, 19th of August 2022) was sold out within a few days and a roaring success!
 
 
Kurly Kale Theatre Group has now received Arts Council funding to provide in-person drama-for-wellbeing sessions for adults with learning disabilities at the Old Diorama Arts Centre in London.