UNDER THE UMBRELLA Gets Chinese Subtitles Via The Difference Engine

Coventry's Belgrade Theatre will be taking advantage of an innovative mobile app to provide a Simplified Chinese translation for its forthcoming production Under the Umbrella.

Developed by Coventry-based theatre company Talking Birds, The Difference Engine works by delivering captions direct to the mobile devices of any audience members who feel that they would benefit from its use. Initially created to make performances and events more accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or partially sighted, the app has been used by a range of companies including Graeae, Complicité, Milk Presents and Derby Theatre, and was a finalist in The Stage's 2019 Innovation Awards. More recently, it has been adapted to translate productions into other languages

Following its successful incorporation into last year's immersive, site-specific show Read All About It!, the Belgrade Theatre is thrilled to be employing the technology into performances of Under the Umbrella, enabling even more people to enjoy the show.

Telling the story of a young Chinese woman studying for a PhD in Coventry, Under the Umbrella comes at a time of increasing calls for better representation of East Asian artists and stories on both stage and screen. By developing a new production focusing on the experiences of Coventry's own Chinese community with the help of East Asian and British East Asian performers and creatives, the Belgrade Theatre aims to go some way to addressing the current imbalance in the industry.

Alongside the show, a programme of related events and activities have been scheduled, including a free panel event on Friday 22 February, that will see artists and industry experts discuss the subject of East Asian representation on stage.

Presented by the Belgrade Theatre in partnership with Yellow Earth Theatre as part of Tamasha's IGNITE programme, Under the Umbrella makes its world premiere in Coventry 2-16 March 2019. Tickets are available to book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055 or visiting www.belgrade.co.uk where prices are cheaper.

Photo credit Tara Rutledge