The write stuff

Playwright Nicola Werenowska is finally realising her dreams of a theatre career, says Maxine Frances Roper

Like others in her field, playwright Nicola Werenowska is creative, intelligent and articulate. Less predictably, she has a hidden disability which, undiagnosed for many years, overshadowed her dream of a career in theatre.

Nicola has dyspraxia, a condition inhibiting coordination, spatial awareness and short-term memory, leading to problems with practical skills and learning styles. People with dyspraxia often have high verbal abilities but weak non-verbal reasoning, appearing clumsy, physically awkward and forgetful. Their difficulties can make them avoid group activities like sports and drama.

“I would always struggle with the easy bits – things to do with coordination and practical tasks - but nobody could say why. I’d get overwhelmed and couldn’t cope.” Though she battled with everything from PE to tying shoelaces, she had a great writing talent. At 16, her first play was given a rehearsed reading at the Royal Court. She wanted to study performing arts but worried about her lack of visual-spatial skills and poor body awareness.

Instead, she gained a first-class languages degree and a PhD in German literature. She had depression throughout university, and chose postgraduate study partly out of fear she wouldn’t cope in a job. Her diagnosis of dyspraxia finally came six years ago when she had a breakdown during a stint as a French teacher: “I was teaching what’s quite a practical subject at that level and couldn’t deal with it at all.  I found it hard to use the photocopier or scissors because my coordination is so bad.” A school counsellor who knew several children with dyspraxia identified her condition.

Nicola’s diagnosis set her free to pursue her ambitions. She began writing plays, achieving shortlistings for several competitions, including Channel 4’s The Play’s the Thing. Her first major production was staged last year by the regional theatre company Eastern Angels.

“When I’m in rehearsal I might explain to actors that I’m not very good visually, and I don’t have any issues about my difficulties because I know why. In the past I’d have felt embarrassed, ashamed, that there was something wrong with me I mustn’t show to other people because they’d think I’m weird.

Nicola agrees that with the right support, drama can hugely benefit those with dyspraxia, improving spatial awareness and coordination. She has recently been developing a play which directly tackles dyspraxia, On Your Own, with Tom Thomasson, who also has dyspraxia. And she increasingly hears of young people with dyspraxia who love drama. “Some talk about an inherent link between neurodiversity and creativity. I think if you’re dyspraxic you’ve probably experienced some sort of discrimination or sense of otherness. People who’ve experienced that tend to want to express it artistically.”

Nicola is currently rehearsing a play with Cambridge theatre company Menagerie. “I’m not sure proud is the right word,” she says of her achievements. But she admits she’s now feeling comfortable in herself and her work. Hopefully her awareness raising will help other people with dyspraxia in theatre do the same.

• To contact DANDA, a support group for adults with specific learning difficulties, such as dyspraxia, visit www.danda.org.uk