A pilot project to make live theatre more inclusive and autism-friendly, will see Relaxed Performances becoming more widespread across the UK.<\/p>\n
The Relaxed Performance Project (RPP), aimed to address issues that stop families with children who have autism or sensory and communication needs feeling unable to attend theatrical performances.<\/p>\n
The RPP, worked with a range of organisations and theatre bodies including the National Autistic Society; Ambitious About Autism; mencap;\u00a0 he Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the Ambassador Theatre Group as well as collating the experiences of eight UK theatres taking part in the project.<\/p>\n
“Autism is a serious, lifelong disability and the challenges the condition bring can make it difficult to enjoy activities such as trips to the theatre, which many people take for granted,\u201d Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, Mark Lever says.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraining staff and making adjustments to a production can make a huge difference, and the hard work of theatres across the UK has already opened the door for many families up and down the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Relaxed Performances feature as a special performance in a show’s run that create a suitable environment for children with additional needs. The performances have a more supportive atmosphere in the auditorium with fully trained theatre staff to provide support.<\/p>\n
To help children prepare for the show, pre-performance visits take place. Noise, lighting and special effects are adjusted according to need and special chill-out space for families are available.<\/p>\n
Co-founder and CEO of\u00a0 the UK’s largest group of theatres – Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) Rosemary Squire, said that the findings of the project have been ‘inspiring’.<\/p>\n
She said: “As an industry we must strive to enable everyone to access and enjoy the experience of live theatre and Relaxed Performances are key to delivering this for those who find a theatre visit challenging. We were delighted to be able to take part in the pilot project to begin breaking down these\u00a0 barriers to attendance.\u201d<\/p>\n
A ten point best practice model has been created from the project’s findings which will be put into operation in participating theatres.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 Point Best Practice Model for Relaxed Performances<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.Type of show. If it is your first relaxed performance then finding the audience is easier if you have a well known show and one that appeals to a wide audience. The most obvious choices, for example, pantomimes may not be best suited for autistic children. Consider a show that is for the family as a whole to enjoy<\/p>\n 2. The running time of the show will be important to families<\/p>\n 3. Remember that a relaxed performance of a touring production is as easy to deliver as an in-house production<\/p>\n 4. Scheduling\u00a0 – work out with your target audience in mind when and how often Relaxed Performances should be<\/p>\n 5. Plan well ahead – audience development, training and ticketing take time<\/p>\n 6. Partnering. Collaborating with local charities and community groups is essential. Think about setting-up an access focus group to assist you in planning your Relaxed Performance, and work with local branches and SEN schools in finding an audience – word-of-mouth is so important in marketing the performance<\/p>\n 7. Ticketing. Consider what price will attract a new audience and whether discounting is necessary or affordable<\/p>\n 8. Shared ownership. Relaxed Performances are not the responsibility of one department in the theatre but the responsibility of everyone. All staff need to be trained<\/p>\n 9. Ambassadors. Some staff and volunteers may already have experience that can be shared with colleagues<\/p>\n 10. Relaxed Performances are not a favour. This is about making the audience feel that they belong to the theatre not separate from it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A pilot project to make live theatre more inclusive and autism-friendly, will see Relaxed Performances becoming more widespread across the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bristol-news"],"yoast_head":"\n