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Relaxed Performances = Pantomime


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I need a bit of advice.

 

Just discovered we're doing a relaxed performance in January. At the moment, we've pyros, strobes, kerbs, scary gorillas throwing bananas, and mega loud chinesey music - plus a very scary Abanazer.

 

The advice I have had is rather 'brief'.

Houselights left on

access doors open

no loud bangs

no strobes

no loud sudden sound effects

no abrupt flashing lights

 

So pretty well that covers all the show.

 

Has anyone experience of staging/modifying for these or maybe has autistic friends or family.

 

It is entirely an audience of special needs kids and adults and their families. I'm quite happy with this, but I don't want to remove things they'd like, but obviously some things have to go.

 

We've a huge gorilla that tracks downstage towards the audience, and I can easily scrap the track - but I guess the gorillas in the audience close too many be a bit scary too.

 

Any advice or previous experience would be most handy here - because none of us have ever done one, and we're kind of guessing?

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Interesting question. If it was me, I guess my first port of call for information would be the National Autistic Society or similar local support group, or perhaps someone with an appropriate specialism from the local health board within which the theatre is situated. Let us know what you find out!
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Hmmm...

 

Whilst I am all for the inclusivity for people with different needs, what I do tend to struggle with is the modification of a performance JUST to allow for that inclusiveness. Because if you take this to the extremes that seem to be being inflicted on your panto, then it ceases to be the product that it originally sets out to be, and is therefore less than the artistic item it is at all other performances.

 

The other thread talks about making allowances but there were also comments there which suggest some with experience feel that modifying a show JUST for one group of individuals (even if that group were the only ones in the audience) is somewhat bending over for the people who purport to support these groups, rather than actually giving due consideration to the actual group of differently abled persons...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A large part of the issue for those on the autistic spectrum is the unexpected element. A pre-act talk highlighting some of the effects may enable the use of the effects to be realised and the show not suffer accordingly.

The important thing is to be clear about what your 'relaxed performance' is, and what concessions have been made.

 

Unsurprisingly, Curious Incident have become masters at this. Contacting the National Theatre could produce some useful information.

 

Perhaps in yours Paul the pyro could be dropped (or supplanted for a lesser sound effect?), the strobes changed for a different flashing effect, the volume limited a little, and the gorillas etc pre-announced?

 

Is it the same show? No. Is it a show that some people who could not otherwise access theatre can visit and enjoy without being on edge the whole time? Hopefully!

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I'll be the baddie that sticks my oar in again. If you look through history you'll find that autistic people have been responsible for the greatest technological breakthroughs, and they're still working behind the scenes making some crazy fun stuff.

 

It's unfortunate that the Munchhausen care industry has decided to cash-in on "helping" autistic kids by treating them like retards and literally destroying their autonomy in the process.

 

By all means tame your show down, but leave in enough excitement to stimulate the kids into the creativity they're intended for.

 

Different bees in a hive have different functions.

Different ants in a colony have different functions.

Different humans in a society have different functions.

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Get your folk to talk to their folk about what they both want and expect.

This has got to be the best way forward.

 

But my caveat with this would be to challenge THEIR assumptions (in of course a polite and diplomatic way :) ). And have 'their people' visit the theatre on a date prior to their visit so they can SEE what the unexpurgated content is and make informed decisions on what MIGHT need to be toned down - you may find that they decide not everything needs to be made 'safer'.

 

I've done a couple of events lately supporting autism charities, and know several people with the condition in their families. One such has a young lad who's quite severe on the spectrum and can occasionally act up, but his parents have the patience of saints with him and manage extremely well when he does - in fact I don't recall seeing any other family deal as well as they do (there is a 21 yr old son, 17 yr old daughter, the autistic lad and then two young twin girls (around 8 or 9 I think) so they have a handful even without autism!)

 

But when the lad has been at these events they've never asked for nor expected any changes to what's planned. We ran a charity fling at the start of October for their own local support group so a couple of other autistic kids were there - I asked the question - is there anything you'd like us to avoid...? The answer was 'Hell no - if he doesn't like something he'll just poke his fingers in his ears til it's done and then carry on!'

 

Which is the sort of (parental) reaction that makes more sense to me than wrapping the kids in cotton wool 'just in case' one of them might react differently.

And if there IS a chance of reaction, then I would think that there should be enough parents/carers in attendance who know the best ways to restore order and calm any issues.

 

 

 

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This sort of restrictive tick-box exercise infuriates me. The "relaxed" bit, for my money, is that of the audiences who need to know that the person in front of them might leap up and holler rather than politely applaud.

 

The restrictions seem aimed at control rather than empowerment. Talk to the group members and not just the "minders". Inform them about "surprises" and ask whether you should cut them. The cast need to know it will be more panto than anything and the audience might need more time to settle between "bits of business".

 

There is a built-in conundrum with this "list" thing. How do you prevent an audience being exposed to loud and sudden noises when the audience is prone to creating loud and sudden noises?

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Do you know - I've no memory of that, and I can't believe my cynical stance then. Not very pleased with myself there. I'm pleased with the change of opinion I've had, and now I'm directly involved I can see the idea about generating revenue is just plain stupid, as this is costing, not generating, and really is a simple nice thing to do.

 

I'm getting lots of advice from the various experts, but they don't really understand how theatre works, so what sounds simple is hard, and what they think is tricky is easy.

 

I'm sitting in the rehearsal room with a script, marking red X's when things sound, look or might when lit be a problem.

 

Like the vent act we have - a monkey blows up a balloon, which then gets popped with a loud bang. Problem, or not?

Is a theatrical flash that's a puff, OK, but a loud retort not?

 

The experts don't seem to recognise a difference. So I have six weeks till the event, by which time I guess I'll have a better handle on the scaryness!

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Do you remember going to your first public firework show as a kid and the loud bangs scared you? Did it stop you going again? No it didn't, in fact it MADE you want to go again.

 

Some of the worlds most exciting pyrotechnicians are well up on the autistic scale.

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The experts don't seem to recognise a difference. So I have six weeks till the event, by which time I guess I'll have a better handle on the scaryness!

you are getting some of this experts comps to earlier showings, so that they can see/hear for themselves what the 'real' performance looks/sounds like...?

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