COVID may have stopped drama company Side by Side living up to its name in body, but it’s certainly doing so in spirit.

Social distancing, including in the dancing, is being followed by the Stourbridge drama company for actors with learning disabilities.

The group have bounced back after the lockdown, are back rehearsing and are now hopeful they will be able to put on a socially-distanced Christmas show.

There are spaces available and if you want to see what you are getting into, a special 2-minute video has been produced for the group’s Facebook page.

The company’s SideSpace premises in St John’s re-opened in September and the company has been able to weather the pandemic storm thanks to funding from Arts Council England and Dudley Council Covid Fund.

The Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Drama classes are run under strict guidelines.

Throughout lockdown and beyond students have enjoyed an online Digital Media course run by Mark Williams, learning how to produce podcasts.

More details of a planned Christmas show will be released soon. Even if a second wave makes a public performance impossible, there is no stopping rehearsals and the show will be recorded for all to see at a later time.

Go to the group’s Facebook page to watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/sidebysidetc