Young, Autistic and Stagestruck

Episode 3 (1x3)

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The young autistic cast receive the scripts of they play they've been creating together for the last two weeks. As the initial excitement abates, the directors start to realise the challenge of the task ahead: rehearsing and building on a script requires flexibility, but many autistic people find this hugely challenging. When 20-year-old Alex - a huge hip hop enthusiast - is asked to do a freestyle dance, he demonstrates his favourite hip hop moves. But when the directors ask him to contemplate trying something different, trouble ensues. It's not only change that the cast struggle with; the repetitive nature of rehearsing a scene over and over again also proves problematic for some. Can the directors circumnavigate all the challenges and get the cast to work on and memorise their parts? After three intensive workshops, how are they getting on? The hitherto disparate cast members have become a group of friends, but making and retaining friendships can be tricky for young people with autism, especially when coupled with the pressures of putting on a play. As Jozsef makes his first real friend ever, will Ben and Mollie's tumultuous friendship last the week? This episode also explores the home lives of some of the older cast members, looking at some of the day-to-day challenges of growing up with autism.