Yesterday, I was at The Lowry Theatre in Salford to meet the
resident director of War Horse, Charlotte Peters, along with Topthorn the horse, and the cast
that puppeteer him. Their aim and challenge is to transform the current show
into a relaxed performance. The key message from the day being that theatre is for
everyone. I couldn't agree more.
A relaxed performance is for anyone who
would benefit from a more relaxed performance environment – including those
with an autism spectrum condition, dementia, or a learning disability. Tiny modifications
are made to a show, and the audience experience of going to the theatre is
shaped differently. All of the theatrical and venue decisions are made based on
the kind of show it is and what the venue is like. It's about getting the
balance just right between maintaining the authenticity of the original
production and making subtle changes to it which make it accessible and
appropriate for a relaxed audience.
On Thursday 28th June at 2pm, a relaxed
performance of War Horse will take place for the first time in the North of
England. This is a theatrical event exclusively for a relaxed audience. Before
the show, a shortened version of the story will be presented to the audience
for contextual purposes. The house lights will remain low during the
performance. The overall volume for the show will be turned down by 30%. There
will be a relaxed area in the foyer, where if anyone wants or needs to leave they
can do. It's okay if audience members were to spontaneously shout something out,
during the performance.
A show about the first world war might be unnerving
for some in the audience, so live gun shots will be replaced by a sound effect,
and scary or upsetting scenes will be tweaked accordingly. There will be no
sudden lighting or sound cues. Everything is made softer. The relaxed
performance was created with a team of researchers, and the previous relaxed
performance of War Horse received positive feedback. The creative team found the
relaxed audience felt secure going into the performance environment knowing they
could leave at any time. In addition, they discovered that the show's changes and
calmer atmosphere appeared to work for everyone.
War Horse is a magnificent play. It
incorporates beautiful music and war sketches. The production is vivid and
cinematic in feel. I feel the relaxed audience will love visiting another world,
engaging with the story, and meeting all of the animal characters. Relaxed
performances are becoming more prominent in the current theatrical climate, both
in a commercial and alternative theatre context. I think and hope it will
become a regular occurrence. It's a wonderful thing.
The relaxed performance of War Horse is on
Thursday 28th June at 2pm, The Lowry. It's only available to book via phone. The
box office number is 0843 208 6000.
Reportage - Sam Lowe
on - 19/6/18
No comments:
Post a Comment