An experiment in relaxed horror
As we move into the final week of the NYT REP’s Let the Right One In, we’re sharing our approach to access for the show, as part of our ongoing development of accessible practice at NYT.
We have advertised this approach as an experiment and there are on-going lessons to learn, so we’re sharing in the spirit of openness, as it may be useful to others looking to stage relaxed horror theatre shows.
Finding a physically accessible venue
Our ambition for venue partners for the REP Company has always been for one of their shows to be in London’s West End due to connectivity to industry and audience reach.
In recent years the lack of physically accessible options has prevented us from securing a platform in the West End. Thankfully, that’s starting to change, and the Underbelly Boulevard Soho is a physically accessible venue for audiences and performers, which was a key consideration for our partnership.
Working with our Venue Partner
Underbelly Boulevard Soho have embraced our accessibility ambitions for this production, developing their own accessible practice and resources as an organisation through this partnership.
This has included: physical improvements to backstage accessible toilets and backstage areas, disabled-led staff training in Relaxed Performance practice from our friends and industry leaders in access at Touretteshero, a new point of sale Visual Guide for their venue, to be used across future shows, audience Chill Out Spaces for Let the Right One In and more accessible performances than ever before. Our REP company of young performers were also trained by Touretteshero in Relaxed Performance practice.
Production Approach
All performances of Let the Right One In are advertised as Relaxed Horror. We name this as an experiment in access.
This term came out of a brilliant conversation with Touretteshero last year. We approached Touretteshero for advice as we considered how we could best apply Relaxed Performance principles to this production, in a way that builds on NYT's existing Relaxed Performance provision, and embraces the tension and suspense inherent in the horror genre. We were inspired by other artists and productions that have experimented with access in this way, including Touretteshero's own Not I by Samuel Beckett.
Relaxed Horror includes all the standard relaxed performance provision that we offer across our work: detailed pre-show information including a Visual Guide and Sonic Story, pre-show announcements, latecomers and re-admittance allowed, a relaxed approach to movement and noise in the audience, provision of ear defenders and Chill Out spaces for audiences.
We have also offered a Captioned Performance on Saturday 16 May, 2pm in partnership with Digital 4 and captioner Alice Pegram, and a Audio Described Performance + Touch Tour, Tuesday 19 May, 7pm, in partnership with Vocal Eyes.
Visual Cue Seats
In addition, for this run of Relaxed Horror performances, we are experimenting with Visual Cue Seats, which are available to book in advance for every performance. These are a fixed set of seats in the auditorium, with a portable LED light system positioned close to the seats.
A suggestion from Touretteshero as an idea to explore for this production, the Visual Cue Seats offer the option of advance warning before moments of high tension or sudden sensory changes; tracking changes in lighting (e.g. blackouts & flashing lights), sound (loud or sudden noises), and moments of violence in the show. Ahead of these moments, a small light gives a colour-coded warning to the audience member.
A Visual Cue Guide is also shared with audiences in seats in advance, giving more detail on each cue, and the all important invitation for them to give us feedback on this experiment in access.
We have been honing the system throughout technical rehearsals and the run of performances, and thanks to some great work from our production team, and brilliant conversations with audiences (including on the night where the system failed altogether!) have been experimenting with the function.
We've adjusted how the lights are positioned, the frequency of the warnings, and weighed up the pros and cons of colour-coding. We've learnt through doing, and understand a lot more now about how we could improve and develop the system for future productions. A key learning is the necessity of creating ample time and dedicated team members as part of technical rehearsals, and throughout previews, to programme, test and hone the cues, as the sensory world of the show builds and changes.
Ongoing Development of Accessible Practice at NYT
We know there are remaining challenges for us to tackle through the development of on-going accessible practice, from how we can reach more disabled young people and audience members, to how we can make captioning and live-streaming possible for more performances.
You can find out more about this on-going work here and our flagship national inclusion programme Assemble here, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Email info@nyt.org.uk or call 020 3696 7066 if you have any questions about this work.
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We’re grateful to support from our principal supporter Arts Council England
