Dyslexia: Positively Unique!

Dyslexia Awareness Week 2015: Day 6

Saturday 10th October 2015.

Hello and welcome the 6th day of introducing seven of my 2015 fabulous dyslexics!

Each dyslexia awareness week (starting last year) I intend to feature 7 of my favourite inspirational dyslexics from the past year: I ask them a set of questions (slightly adjusted depending on age and occupation) to which they provide the answers. My aim? Well it is simply to inspire and raise awareness about us dyslexics and about dyslexia!

So with no further ado, allow me to introduce my sixth local inspirational dyslexic: this inspirational young lady used to be a Dyslexia Information Day Young Volunteer, she inspired & offered help and advice to lots of youngsters. She is someone who is truly filled with passion, determination and heaps of talent! She is local to Shropshire and I know I am not being too biased saying we will see her name up in lights in the future!

Name: Amelie Edwards

Age (optional): 25

Job: Actress

Stage Name: Amelie Edwards

A brief description of what your role as an actress entails: I work as an actress, and also work as a *Dramaturg and Textual Consultant for theatre companies including Boireannach and The National Youth Theatre.

Location: Area you live/your business is based: I’m currently based in London, but grew up in Shropshire and still visit regularly (I miss the fields).

When did you find out you were dyslexic?: Although I suspected for a long time that I may be dyslexic, I wasn’t actually diagnosed until I was 18!

How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?: I was in many ways relieved. I had spent a lot of time worrying that I was just lacking in brain cells and that the test would simply reveal that I “Just wasn’t trying hard enough” as my teachers had always informed me.

What difference has it made, if any, to your life since finding out you are dyslexic?: When I first found out I was definitely dyslexic I didn’t really know what kind of difference it would make. I assumed it would just be helpful for exams and proof reading when I went to university. But now that I work in an industry where I am often asked to sight read it has made a huge difference. I know that I need to ask for scripts in advance so that I can learn them to prevent me from tripping over lines in auditions, so that I can actually act rather than just focusing on reading. That also means that I’ve developed strategies to learn lines quickly, so that when work does come along, I can be off book very early in the rehearsal stages and get properly stuck in. I’m lucky that I work in an industry where there are lots of other dyslexic people, so we can swap hints and tips, and give each other knowing nods when a particularly awkward collection of words appears in a script. But I think the biggest difference is that I am now better aware of myself. I know my strengths and weaknesses and surprisingly, I’m beginning to think that being dyslexic may come bundled up with more strengths than anything else!

*A dramaturge or dramaturg is a professional position within a theatre or opera company that deals mainly with research and development of plays or operas.