Relaxed and Accessible Performances Across the UK This Festive Season
Accessible and relaxed performances around the UK this Christmas
By: Natalie O'Donoghue Nov. 10, 2023
With the festive period being one of the busiest for theatres, BroadwayWorld has compiled a list of theatres with accessible and relaxed performances that aim to ensure more people can enjoy the theatre. While access is a very broad term, many theatres have performances that integrate British Sign Language (BSL), audio description and captioning.
Relaxed performances are designed to make the theatre a less daunting experience for people with sensory needs. Adjustments vary by performance but usually include lighting adjustments, no explosions/loud noises, freedom to move around the auditorium if needed and designated chill-out zones. Some venues also offer touch tours which give people the opportunity to touch the sets, props and costumes to familiarise themselves ahead of the performance.
Aberdeen Arts Centre - Rapunzel
BSL Interpreted Performance: Saturday 9th December 2023, 1pm; Relaxed Performance: Thursday 14th December 2023, 6pm
Albany Theatre, Deptford - The Light Princess
Integrated AD & Creative Captions on all dates; Integrated BSL - December 17; Relaxed - December 20; Touch Tour - December 20
Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle - Puddle
All performances are relaxed; Captioned 23rd Dec, Audio described 3rd Jan.
ARC, Stockton - Well Done, Mummy Penguin
Integrated BSL every performance
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Relaxed: Tue 12 Dec 2023, 10:30AM; BSL: Thu 28 Dec 2023, 6:00PM; Audio described: Wed 13 Dec 2023, 6:00PM
BSL PERFORMANCES Friday 22nd December | 6.30PM Wednesday 27th December | 2.00PM; AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES Friday 22nd December | 6.30PM Wednesday 27th December | 2.00PM; CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES Saturday 16th December | 2.00PM & 6.30PM Thursday 4th January | 2.00PM & 6.30PM; RELAXED PERFORMANCES Sunday 10th December | 12.00PM Tuesday 19th December | 6.30PM
Barbican Theatre, London - Get Happy
All performances are relaxed: Thu 7—Tue 19 Dec 2023, BSL-interpreted performances
Wed 13 Dec at 10am & Sat 16 Dec at 10am
Barbican Theatre, London - My Neighbour Totoro
Audio Described: Sat 16 Dec, 2pm (Touch Tour 12.00 – 12.30pm); Captioned performances: Sat 16 Dec, 2pm & Sat 6 Jan, 2pm
Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock - Beauty and the Beast
BSL performance: Sun 17 Dec, 5pm
Beck Theatre, Hayes - Beauty and the Beast
Relaxed performance Thu 14 December 10:30AM; Signed performance Thu 21 December 5:30PM
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry - Cinderella
Captioned: Thurs 30 Nov 6:30pm; BSL Interpreted: Fri 8 Dec 7pm; Audio Described: Sat 9 Dec 2pm; Captioned and Relaxed: Wed 3 Jan 6:30pm
Bristol Hippodrome - The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan
Relaxed: Thu 14 Dec 2023, 2:00PM; BSL: Thu 28 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
Audio Described Performance + Touch Tour: Thu 07 Dec 7:30pm & Sat 16 Dec 6:00pm; BSL Interpreted: Sat 09 Dec 6:00pm & Sat 23 Dec1:30pm; Captioned Performances: Wed 20 Dec 1:30pm & Wed 20 Dec 6:00pm
Cambridge Arts Theatre - Mother Goose
BSL Interpreted performance: Sunday 3 December, 1:00pm; Captioned performance: Friday 8 December, 6:00pm; Relaxed Performances: Saturday 9 December, 10:00am & Wednesday 20 December, 2:00pm; Audio Described performance: Saturday 6 January, 5:00pm
Chipping Norton Theatre - Cinderella
Relaxed Performances on Friday 24th November 2023 at 11am and Thursday 30th November at 4pm; Audio Described Performance on Saturday 9th December 2023 at 2pm; Captioned Performance on Saturday 2nd December at 11am.
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend - Peter Pan
Signed performance Thursday Dec 28 7.15pm; Relaxed performance Dec 31 11am
BSL: Fri 1st December, 7.15pm, Sat 16th December, 2.30pm, Mon 18th December, 10.15am; Relaxed performance: Fri 8th December, 11.00am; Guided Touch Tours are available before performances on Wednesday 13 December 2:30pm & Wednesday 20 December 2:30pm; Audio description: Wed 13th December, 2.30pm & Wed 20th December, 2.30pm; Captioned: Sat 16th December, 7.15pm, Mon 18th December, 10.15am, Fri 29th December, 2.30pm: Dementia Friendly: Thu 28th December, 2.30pm
Derby Theatre- Three Billy Goats Gruff
Every performance is BSL Interpreted and Audio Described 30 Nov until 31 Dec.
Dominion Theatre, London - Elf The Musical
AD performance: Tuesday 19th December; BSL interpreted performance: Saturday 30th December.
Dundee Rep - A Christmas Carol
Relaxed: Sat 09 Dec 2023 2:00pm; Audio Description, BSL and Captioned: Tue 12 Dec 2023
Eden Court, Inverness - Sleeping Beauty
Relaxed: 13 Dec 1.30pm & 4 Jan 7:00pm; Signed: 27 Dec 7:00pm & 16 Dec 1:00pm; Audio description: 16 Dec 1:00pm (touch tour 12md); Captioned 17 Dec 1:00pm
BSL: Tue 09 Jan 2024, 7:30PM; Audio described: Thu 14 Dec 2023, 7:30PM
Fairfield Halls, Croydon - Aladdin
Relaxed Performance (19 December at 10:30am); Captioned performance (30 December at 3pm)
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Edinburgh Gang Show
Audio Description and BSL: Sat 18 Nov, 2pm; Touch Tour: 1pm Sat 18 Nov
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Peter Pan
Audio Description: Sat 9 Dec, 2pm (Touch Tour, 1pm) Fri 15 Dec, 7pm (Touch Tour, 6pm); BSL: Sat 9 Dec, 2pm & Fri 15 Dec, 7pm; Relaxed Performance: Fri 1 Dec, 2pm
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Unicorn Christmas Party
Relaxed performances: Thu 14 Dec, 10.30am, Thu 14 Dec, 1.30pm & Sun 17 Dec, 10.30am
Grand Opera House, Belfast - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Captioned: Tuesday 19 December 2023, 7pm; Audio Described: Wednesday 20 December 2023, 7pm; Signed: Thursday 21 December 2023, 7pm; Relaxed: Tuesday 09 January 2024, 6pm
Grand Opera House, York - Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates of the River Ouse
Relaxed performance: Thu 04 Jan 2024, 2:00PM
Grand Opera House, York - Shrek The Musical
BSL Interpreted and Audio Described: Fri 01 Dec 2023, 7:30PM
Granville Theatre, Ramsgate - Beauty and the Beast
Relaxed: Mon 18 Dec 2023, 5:00PM
Hackney Empire, London - Aladdin
BSL Interpreted: Sat 2 Dec 1.30pm & 6pm Thu 14 Dec 1.30pm & 7pm; Relaxed performance Sat 2 Dec 1.30pm; Dementia Friendly performance Sat 2 Dec 1.30pm
Hexagon Theatre, Reading - Sleeping Beauty
Relaxed Performances: Friday 15 December at 10:30am & Wednesday 3 January at 10:30am; British Sign Language Interpreted Performances Saturday 16 December at 1pm & Friday 29 December at 5pm
His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen - Sleeping Beauty
BSL interpreted: 14th Dec 7pm; Audio described: 16th Dec 2.30pm; Relaxed performance: 21st Dec at 1pm
Jermyn Street Theatre, London - Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime
Captioned performance Wednesday 13 December at 7.30pm
King's Theatre, Glasgow - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Relaxed: Thu 14 Dec 2023, 1:00PM; BSL: Wed 20 Dec 2023, 1:00PM & Wed 20 Dec 2023, 7:00PM; Audio described: Fri 15 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld - A Ladder To The Stars
Relaxed: 9 Dec 1pm & 14 Dec 10am; Audio described: 10 Dec 10.30am; Signed: 22 Dec 10am & 23 Dec 1pm.
Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld - Ugly! A Cinderella Story
Relaxed: 4 Dec 10.30am, 9 Dec 11am & 13 Dec 2pm; BSL: 21 Dec 10.30am & 7pm; Audio described: 21 Dec 7pm
Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone - Beauty and the Beast
BSL: Tue 19 Dec 2023, 6:00PM
Leicester Curve Theatre- Evita
Audio Described Friday 15 December 7.30pm with Touch Tour from 6pm; Thursday 11 January 2024, 2.15pm with Touch Tour from 12.45pm; British Sign Language Interpreted: Tuesday 19 December, 7.30pm Captioned: Wednesday 20 December, 7.30pm; Thursday 28 December, 2.15pm Relaxed: Saturday 6 January 2024, 2.15pm Dementia Friendly Wednesday 10 January 2024, 2.15pm
Leicester Curve Theatre- The Owl Who Came For Christmas
Audio Described: Saturday 23 December, 1.30pm with Touch Tour from 12 noon; British Sign Language Interpreted: Friday 22 December, 10.30am Captioned: Saturday 16 December 10.30am & 1.30pm Saturday 30 December, 10.30am & 1.30pm Relaxed: All performances between Saturday 9 December - Sunday 31 December
.jpg "Relaxed and Accessible Performances Across the UK This Festive Season")
Photo Credit: Phil Tragen
Little Angel Theatre, London - Charlie Cook's Favourite Book
Relaxed Performance: 20 January 3.30pm; BSL Interpreted: 28 January 3.30pm
Liverpool Empire - The Wizard of Oz
BSL: Wed 27 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
Liverpool Everyman - The Rock 'n' Roll Panto Cinderella
BSL: Wed 22 Nov, 7:00 pm & Tue 19 Dec, 7:00 pm; RELAXED: Tue 9 Jan, 5:30 pm; AUDIO DESCRIBED: Thu 18 Jan, 1:30 pm & Thu 18 Jan, 7:00 pm; CAPTIONED: Sat 20 Jan, 1:30 pm
Lyric Theatre, Belfast - Hansel & Gretel
Captioned: 14th December at 6:00pm; Signed Performance: 14th December at 6:00pm; Audio Described: 17th December at 12:30pm
Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling - Aladdin
Captioned: Friday 8th December 7:30 pm; Audio Described: Sunday 10th December 6:00pm; BSL: Friday 15th December 7.30pm
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton - Snow White
Audio Described: Thurs 28 Dec 2pm; Signed and Relaxed: Fri 29 Dec 1pm; Signed and Captioned: Fri 29 Dec 7pm
Mercury Theatre, Colchester - Sleeping Beauty
Relaxed Performances (7 December at 10:15am – Schools Performance, 6 January at 2pm); BSL Interpreted Performances (8 December at 7pm, 6 January at 2pm); Audio Described & Touch Tour Performances (9 December at 2pm, 13 January at 7pm); Captioned Performances (9 December at 7pm, 13 January at 7pm)
Mercury Theatre, Colchester - Me...
Relaxed Performance (5 January at 12:30pm)
Milton Keynes Theatre - Cinderella
BSL: Wed 20 Dec 2023, 7:00PM; Audio described: Thu 21 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
New Cardiff Theatre - Jack and the Beanstalk
Audio Described - Sat 6 January 2.30pm; British Sign Language - Sun 7 January 1pm; Captioned performance - Thu 4 January 2.30pm; Relaxed Performance - Tue 19 Dec 6pm
New Theatre, Oxford - Everybody's Talking About Jamie
BSL Interpreted: Sun 17 Dec 2023, 2:30PM
New Victoria Theatre, Woking - Peter Pan
Relaxed: Tue 02 Jan 2024, 1:00PM: BSL: Fri 22 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
New Wimbledon Theatre - Cinderella
BSL interpreted: Wed 13 Dec 2023, 7:00PM; Audio described: Wed 13 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
Opera House Manchester - Jack and the Beanstalk
Relaxed: Thu 14 Dec 2023, 1:00PM; BSL Interpreted: Wed 13 Dec 2023, 7:00PM; Audio description: Thu 14 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
PACE Theatre, Paisley - Beauty and the Beast
Relaxed performance: Sun 10 Dec 2023, 11:00AM; BSL: Tue 12 Dec 2023, 7:00PM.
Palace Theatre Manchester - Hamilton
Audio described performance: Tue 5 Dec 2023, 7:30PM
Park Theatre, London - 21 Round for Christmas
Audio Described performance with Touch Tour (16 December at 19:45; Touch Tour at 18:45); BSL Interpreted performance (19 December at 19:45)
Audio described and BSL interpreted performance: Sat 23 Dec: 13:00; Relaxed performances: Sun 10 Dec: 13:00 + Thu 28 Dec: 14:00
Pitlochry Festival Theatre- Sunshine on Leith
Audio Description 16 Dec 2pm; BSL 17 Dec 2pm; Captioned 13 Dec 2pm; Relaxed and Dementia Friendly 14 Dec 2pm
Pleasance Theatre, London - Gwyneth Goes Skiing
Captioned Performance Thursday 21st December, 7pm
Polka Theatre, London - The Snow Queen
Relaxed Performances (22 November & 24 November at 10:15am – schools performances; 25 November at 11am); Captioned Performance (26 November at 2:30pm); Audio Described Performance (10 December at 2:30pm; Touch Tour at 1:30pm); BSL Performance (6 January at 11am)
Polka Theatre, London - The Night Before Christmas
Relaxed: Sat 13 Jan 2.45pm; BSL Interpreted: Sat 9 Dec 11.45am
Princes Hall, Aldershot - Aladdin
Integrated BSL performances Tuesday 12th Dec at 7pm & 20th Dec at 1pm
Reading Rep Theatre- It’s A Wonderful Life
Relaxed & Reduced Capacity Performance (13 December at 7:30pm)
Reading Rep Theatre, Reading - Potted Panto
BSL Interpreted Performance (22 December at 3pm); Relaxed & Reduced Capacity Performance (29 December at 3pm)
Regent Theatre, Ipswich - Sleeping Beauty
BSL Interpreted – 6pm on Thu 28 Dec; Relaxed – 1pm on Wed 27 Dec
Regent Theatre, Stoke - Jack and the Beanstalk
Audio described: Thu 21 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
BSL Interpreted: Wed 06 Dec 2023, 6:00PM
Richmond Theatre - Dick Whittington
Relaxed: Wed 03 Jan 2024, 2:00PM
Rondo Theatre, Bath - The Stolen Winter Light
BSL All performances except the 3pm 17th December showing; Captions
All performances will be captioned; Big Scream! (babies welcome) Fri 15 Dec & Fri 22 Dec midday; Relaxed Performance Sun 17 Dec 10.30am & Thu 21 Dec 7pm
Royal and Derngate, Northampton - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Audio Described – Fri 15 December 7pm and Fri 29 December 1pm; BSL Sign Interpreted – Sun 17 December 5pm and Thu 28 December 2pm; Captioned – Tue 19 December 7pm
Royal and Derngate, Northampton - Stick Man
Relaxed: Sun 17 Dec 1pm and Thu 28 Dec 1pm Audio Description & Touch Tour: Sun 16 Dec 1pm BSL: Wed 20 Dec 1pm Captioned: Sat 30 Dec 4pm
Royal Opera House, London - The Nutcracker
Relaxed: 9th December
Sadler's Wells, London - Edward Scissorhands
BSL interpreted Performance: Thu 7 December at 7:30pm; Sensory Adapted Performance: Sun 7 January at 2:00pm; Audio Described Performance: Sat 13 January at 2:30pm; Touch Tour: Sat 13 January at 2:30pm
Sadler's Wells, London - The Snowman
Relaxed Performance: Wed 29 November at 2:30pm; Audio Described Performance: Sat 9 December at 7:00pm ; Touch Tour: Sat 9 December at 7:00pm
Salisbury Playhouse, Wiltshire - Dick Whittington
BSL signed, captioned: 6th Dec (7pm) & 4th Jan (2.15pm); Audio described & touch tour: 14th (2.15pm & 7pm) & 19th Dec (7pm) Relaxed: 4th Jan at 2.15pm
Shakespeare's Globe - Hansel and Gretel
Captioned: Friday 22nd December 11:00 AM & Saturday 6th January 11:00 AM ; BSL Friday 22nd December 3:00 PM & Wednesday 3rd January 2:30 PM ; Audio Described Tuesday 2nd January 2:30 PM ; Relaxed Thursday 4th January 2:30 PM Saturday 6th January 3:00 PM
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff - Hansel and Gretel (in English)
Sat 16 Dec - 1:30pm BSL interpreted; Thu 28 Dec - 1:30pm Relaxed Performance; Wed 3 Jan - 11am Audio Described
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff - Hansel a Gretel (in Welsh)
Fri 5 Jan - 1:30pm Relaxed Performance
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff - Peter Pan
Relaxed Performance Fri 1 Dec - 10:30am & 2pm, Sat 2 Dec - 2pm Audio Described Sat 9 Dec - 2pm, Thu 28 Dec - 2pm BSL interpreted Sat 9 Dec - 7pm; Captioned Sat 9 Dec - 7pm; Sat 16 Dec - 2pm
Southbank Centre, London - The House With Chicken Legs
Relaxed Performance: Sat 16 Dec, 2.30pm & Wed 27 Dec, 7pm; Pre-show Touch Tour and Audio Description available: Thu 21 Dec, 2.30pm. British Sign Language Interpreted (BSL): Thu 28 Dec, 7pm.
Sunderland Empire - Beauty and the Beast
Relaxed: Wed 27 Dec 2023, 7:00PM
The Royal Edinburgh Lyceum - The Snow Queen
Captioned- Sat 2 December, 2pm; Audio Described and Touch Tour - Thurs 7 December, 7pm/ Sat 9 December, 2pm; BSL Interpreted - Wed 13 December, 7pm; Relaxed - Fri 22 December, 7pm
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru - Swyn
A touring production across Wales throughout November and December with all performances in Welsh and BSL.
BSL and audio described: Thu 21 Dec 2023, 8:00PM
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds- Snow White
BSL Performance - Thu 7 Dec, 7pm; Audio Described Performance - Thu 14 Dec, 7pm;Touch Tour - Thu 14 Dec, 6pm (for 7pm performance); Captioned Performance - Thu 11 Jan, 7pm; Relaxed Performance - Sun 7 Jan, 3pm
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds- Where's Santa's Hat?
Relaxed performances Fri 24 Nov - 11am; Sat 25 Nov - 3pm (Touch Tour available at 2.30pm - must be booked in advance); Fri 1 Dec - 3pm (Touch Tour available at 2.30pm - must be booked in advance); Sat 2 Dec - 11am
Theatre Royal Drury Lane - Frozen the Musical
LW theatres use Galapro app which enables audience members to use their own devices for captioning and audio description at every performance.
Theatre Royal, Glasgow - Cinders! (Scottish Ballet)
Audio description and touch tour Saturday 16 December 1pm
Theatre Royal Windsor - Aladdin
Relaxed Performance Tues 28 November 1:30pm
The Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow - Treasure Island
BSL Interpreted: TUE 5 DECEMBER 11.00am and 7.30pm
The London Palladium - Peter Pan
LW theatres use Galapro app which enables audience members to use their own devices for captioning and audio description at every performance. Signed performance – Sunday 31 December 2023, 1pm. Audio described performance – Wednesday 10 January 2024, 7:30pm
The New Wolsey Theatre - Dick Whittington and his Cat
Relaxed: Wed 6 December, Wed 10 January; Audio description: All Performances; BSL: Fri 1 December, Sat 16 December, Wed 27 December; Captioned: Thurs 28 December, Thurs 18 January.
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh - Same Team
Captioned FRI 15 DEC 7:30pm; BSL SAT 16 DEC 2:30pm
Tron Theatre, Glasgow - Aganeza Scrooge
Relaxed Performance: Tues 19 December 2023 1:00pm & 7:00pm; Audio Description: Wed 6 December 7:00pm & Sat 16 December 1:00pm; BSL: Fri 8 December 7:00pm & Sat 9th December 2:00pm.
Tyne Theatre and Opera House - Peter Pan
Relaxed and signed performances Fri 8 Dec 2023 (1pm) & Wed 3 Jan 2024 (4pm)
All performances will be a mix of British Sign Language and Spoken English.
Watermill Theatre, Newbury - The Wizard of Oz
Relaxed performance: Saturday 2 December at 2.30pm; British Sign Language Integrated performances: Saturday 9 December at 2.30pm and Monday 11 December at 1.30pm; Closed Captioned performances: Saturday 9 December at 2.30pm, Monday 11 December at 1.30pm, and Sunday 17 December at 5pm; Audio Described performances: Saturday 16 December at 2.30pm with a Touch Tour at 12.30pm and Thursday 21 December at 7pm with a Touch Tour at 5pm
Yvonne Arnold Theatre, Guilford - Cinderella
British Sign Language Thu 7 Dec, 10:30am & Wed 13 Dec, 7pm; Relaxed Performance - Sat 16 Dec, 10.30am; Dementia Friendly Performance - Fri 5 Jan, 1pm
If you're staging an accessible or relaxed performance over this festive period that we haven't listed yet please get in touch nodonoghue@bwayworld.com
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