A HUDDERSFIELD theatre company which works with learning-disabled actors has been invited to perform in Japan.
Full Body and the Voice, based at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, will travel to Tokyo on August 1.
During a week-long trip, they will perform a 30-minute show about the weather and washing, entitled Scene Changes.
The performers have learning disabilities and have been trained over the past few years by Full Body and The Voice to be professional actors.
Jon Palmer, artistic director of Full Body and The Voice, said: "This particular piece is a great example of the work we do and shows just what learning-disabled performers can do on their own."
The Japanese performance will be at an event organised by visual arts company Able Art.
The company learnt about Full Body and The Voice from Japanese contemporary composer Makoto Nomura, who encountered them during a visit to Huddersfield last autumn.
He was in town to collaborate with local composer Hugh Nankivell on an opera.
Mr Palmer said: "We are unusual in that there are not many companies working with actors who are learning-disabled.
"The Japanese don't have anything like this and they are particularly interested in the methods we use to engage audiences and work spontaneously without a script."
Mr Palmer said it was a coup for Full Body and the Voice to be invited to Tokyo.
He said: "It's fantastic. It further enhances the international reputation, following work in Belgium, Hungary, France and Portugal. We are very pleased."
To mark the start of their journey east, Full Body and The Voice will treat Huddersfield to a free performance of Scene Changes at the Piazza on July 28 at 6pm.
The Japanese visit is just one aspect of an exciting period of change for the group.
They are currently trying to move away from simply using learning-disabled performers.
Full Body and The Voice was formed in 1998 by Huddersfield Mencap and Kirklees Social Services, following the success of a trial drama project for learning disabled people at the LBT.
However, Mr Palmer said the learning disabled performers can now hold their own against non-disabled professional actors.
He said: "The skills of the performers have developed and they are now employed on a professional basis.
"We will be bringing in non-disabled performers.
"We want a more integrated approach. It is important for disabled performers to work with non-disabled performers and not become isolated."
Full Body and The Voice is also keen for its learning-disabled performers to find work elsewhere.
One of the actors, Sarah Morris, recently worked as an extra on Emmerdale and has worked with Impact Theatre on a performance about diversity, which toured Kirklees.
