Theatr Iolo raise awareness of Audio Described shows for blind and partially sighted children
To raise awareness of audio description in theatres and to explain to children what an audio described performance will be like, Theatr Iolo have made a short film showing a child enjoying a Touch Tour and an Audio Described show.
Theatr Iolo’s vision is for a society in which all children can feel empowered and inspired. They create theatre shows for children that tour Wales, the UK and internationally. They want all children from babies to teenagers and their adults to trust that their experience of a Theatr Iolo production will be of the highest quality and that they will feel included. For the last six years, Theatr Iolo have focussed on increasing the access services they offer with all productions, to become more inclusive. Through one of these initiatives, they developed their own internal skills and knowledge to develop more audio description services for blind or partially sighted children and their adults.
They have now launched a new film starring Corben, a partially sighted child from Cardiff, who got to experience his first ever Touch Tour and Audio Described performance at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff recently. You can watch it here. The film will help to prepare children and adults to know what to expect in a Touch Tour and an audio described show and help to spread the word to people who might benefit from this service. It also highlights that Audio Description cannot be heard by other audience members and does not impact their own experience of the show.
To find out more about access at Theatr Iolo shows, visit their website. Their audio described performances are also publicised in Wales Council of the Blind's newsletter, Sylw.
Posted on the 17th of March 2025