Nottingham Playhouse has taken another step forward in making its shows fully accessible to everyone. The UK’s Most WelcomingTheatre (TMA awards 2007/2008) has raised funds to buy new captioning equipment, with crucial support from its partners Arts & Business and Barratt, Goff and Tomlinson solicitors. A training programme for caption operators completes the scheme, which will enable the Playhouse to provide a more thorough service to theatregoers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
In captioned performances, the words spoken on stage appear simultaneously on a screen. For users it is similar to having subtitles on television – but because of the nature of live performance, the service demands not only careful preparation from the scripts and productions, but split-second and flexible timing in displaying the captions. The training has been provided by captioning pioneers Stagetext.
The Playhouse has long provided Sign Language Interpreted Performances for its in-house productions, alongside audio described performances for those with sight loss, and both these services will continue as before. But the theatre has also brought in occasional captioned performances when possible in the last few years, which have received an overwhelming public welcome. The new investment enables it to provide captioning regularly at all Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company shows, beginning this autumn with the new trainees captioning the upcoming productions On the Waterfront, Breaking the Silence and Tom’s Midnight Garden.
The investment in the new captioning equipment and training was only possible thanks to two of the Playhouse’s partners: Arts & Business and law firm Barratt, Goff and Tomlinson, which sponsors all of the theatre’s access provision.
The initial training course, running from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 January, saw a team of four learning to deliver captioned performances. On the first day, the trainees were visited by Andrea Carver, representing Arts & Business, and Alison Brooks from Barratt, Goff & Tomlinson. Alison says:
"As solicitors working on behalf of clients with disability, Barratts recognise the importance of maximising their quality of life. We are therefore proud and honoured to sponsor the stage text programme which will improve access to the theatre for the deaf and hard of hearing."
For Arts & Business, Andrea says:
"I am delighted that Arts & Business has made an investment to strengthen and develop the innovative creative partnership between Barratt, Goff & Tomlinson and the Nottingham Playhouse. Together the two organisations are making a real impact on access provision at the Playhouse. This partnership demonstrates clearly how businesses working with arts organisations can bring about important rewards for the local community."
