For some people living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or health conditions a trip to the theatre and pantomime can be challenging, so Horsham District Council once again organised a ‘relaxed’ performance of their pantomime this year so that everybody can join in the fun.
This year’s pantomime at The Capitol in Horsham is Robin Hood.
Watching panto is a great way to add that extra bit of magic to the festive period and to get everybody in the mood for Christmas. The relaxed performance was held on Thursday 18 December and the audience was packed.
This style of performance essentially keeps the same format and performance as other performances but with additional support and re-sources available. Adjustments included were to the lighting and sound, and audience members were fine to move around and enter and leave as they needed. A British Sign Language interpreter was also on stage through-out the performance.
Before the show started the welcoming and supportive staff at The Capitol encouraged a tactile tour so that audience members could have a hands-on exploration of the set and costumes and get to meet the actors in costume, helping everyone to feel familiar and comfortable.
Councillor Sam Raby, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities commented: “We want to make a panto visit as accessible as possible and enjoyable to absolutely everyone.
So, this modified panto performance was tailored for individuals and families who may benefit from a more supportive environment. This could be people with sensory sensitivities, neurodiverse conditions, learning disabilities, or anyone who generally just prefers a gentler theatre experience.
“We were delighted that this year’s relaxed performance was packed. So do book early for next year!”
Chairperson of the Autism Support Crawley charity Maria Cook, who has worked in collaboration with The Capitol’s staff to help with the special performance added:
“The production crew, Capitol staff and cast have truly excelled them-selves once again this year.
“An enormous amount of hard work has taken place behind the scenes, at front of house, in the auditorium, online and on stage too, enabling us all to deliver such an outstanding re-laxed performance.
“Thank you to everyone involved for going above and be-yond to make the necessary adjustments and ensure our community could enjoy a phenomenal theatre experience they will never forget.
No one should ever be denied the magic of theatre and panto, and I am incredibly grateful for, and proud of what we have achieved together to make this possible at The Capitol.”