She started dancing when she was just three, having always had a great passion for the theatre and entertaining anyone who would stay still!

At the age of 16 she won a full scholarship to train as a dancer at the London Studio Centre where spent a very happy year.  When she was 17 she developed the neurological condition Dystonia, which causes involuntary, painful spasms in her back and neck.  Suzie spent the next two years in hospitals; it was a long slow process but with the help of intensive physiotherapy she learned to walk again and was able to become mobile enough to continue her training in drama and singing, and later, injury technique.

On leaving the London Studio Centre she worked as an actress.  Her credits include ‘Antigone’, ‘Wow’, ‘Peter Pan’ and  a tour of Chekov plays at various renowned London theatres.  During this time she was also working teaching young people from many different backgrounds and needs.

It was this combination that drew her attention to the difficulties disabled people have in becoming recognized in theatre and how much ignorance and fear there is about different groups of people in society.  She made it her ambition to break down the barriers that prevent so many people from achieving their goals.

In August of 2001, Suzie suffered a severe Dystonia relapse leaving her in a wheelchair.  Rather than stopping her it made her even more determined to continue and develop her work in dance and drama with young people of all abilities.  In September 2001 she became the Joint Artistic Director of the HIT project, an inclusive theatre group for children and young people.  She then started Act One Theatre School at the Wyllotts Centre, teaching a variety of theatre skills to young people of all ages.

Today Act One helps hundreds of young people and adults gain confidence through inspiring performances of dance, theatre and music.

Photographed by Kevin Hayden

Suzie Scrambler