Antarctica! at 10 Lincoln Centre

Antarctica! Crew wanted for a bold sensory expedition from Galway across the Globe

Theatre created in collaboration with young people with additional needs lands at Lincoln Centre and Sydney Opera House.

A powerful and immersive theatrical experience inspired by one of the greatest survival stories ever told is preparing to embark on an international voyage. 

This April, Antarctica! will tour to New York City, performing at the Big Umbrella Festival for neurodiverse audiences at the Lincoln Centre from April 17th to 19th and 24th to 26th, before travelling to Australia for a two week run at the Sydney Opera House starting on 24th July. This international tour with Galway based Rosán Sensory Adventures marks a significant moment for inclusive Irish theatre, placing work created with and for young people with additional needs on two of the world’s most prestigious stages.

Rosán Sensory Adventures, which was founded by sensory artist and educator Phillida Eves, creates immersive, musical, and theatrical experiences tailored for children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs. Phillida works with multidisciplinary artists on Rosán's projects. Antarctica! was co-created with Galway based artist Amélie Bal.

Antarctica! is a sensory-led performance that brings audiences on an expedition through the icy world of the South Pole. Told through music and movement, the work draws inspiration from the legendary journey of Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton and his ship, Endurance, which became trapped in pack ice and ultimately sank during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

Created specifically with and for young people with additional needs in Special Schools aged 12–18, the 45-minute production is a fully immersive sensory experience. Made in collaboration with the Senior 5 class at St. Joseph’s Special School, Galway- not created first and adapted later, but developed from the outset with access, agency and authentic participation at its core. It was further adapted to also reach younger children and larger audiences.

This is more than a retelling of history. Audiences are invited to join the crew as they set off across ice and water, navigating harsh conditions and unknown perils. As the landscape shifts and danger closes in, survival depends not on conquest, but on teamwork, resilience and camaraderie. 

“Antarctica! has been shaped by the young people themselves- their responses, their movement, their sensory world. This is not theatre adapted for them; it is theatre created with them, and because of them,” explained creative sensory artist and educator, Phillida.

With its focus on survival, solidarity and shared endeavour, Antarctica! invites every audience member to become part of the crew. As the expedition unfolds, the boundaries between performer and spectator dissolve, creating a shared sensory landscape where communication goes beyond words.

Antarctica! was commissioned by Baboró International Arts Festival for Children through funding from the RTÉ Toy Show Fund. Its national tour was funded by the The Arts Council, with international touring supported by Culture Ireland.

From Galway to New York and Sydney, Antarctica! stands as a testament to the power of inclusive creativity- proving that work rooted in access and collaboration can resonate on the world stage.

For further information about Antarctica! and touring details, visit:
https://www.rosan.ie/