Intro:
I was recently invited to a relaxed performance of ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ at the London Coliseum by the English National Opera.
This was my first time attending a relaxed performance and in all honesty it left me feeling a little emotional.
From the minute we arrived to the minute we left it was just so clear how much thought had gone into the accessibility accommodations for this relaxed performance; from the visual and sensory guides to the “chill out” area.
It’s rare to feel ‘wanted’ at a venue and it was clear that disabled people were not an afterthought here.
I thought I’d share a few details so you could keep an eye out on any upcoming performances by the ENO;
Name: Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance performed by the English National Opera.
Location: English National Opera, London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES
What three words: //neck.lined.movie
Rough storyline:
Bought to stage by Director, Mike Leigh, with incredible staging, silly and fun wordplay, and well-loved songs conducted by Natalie Murray Beale.
An apprentice pirate impresses the Major General’s daughter as his shipmates attempt to outwit a party of policemen.
Overview:
The show starts with an eloquent speech by John Savournin, playing the Pirate King, addressing the audience giving us permission to stand, move around, make noise, stim, tic and most importantly be ourselves.
Throughout the show I felt unwell and took breaks to go to the toilet and walk around in the foyer, at no point did I feel like I was disturbing the show or ‘the centre of attention’
Having the ability to watch the show on screens and a summary in the interval meant you never felt as if you had missed out on any of the action!
Link to website: https://www.eno.org/whats-on/the-pirates-of-penzance/
Accessibility:
The London Coliseum has a dedicated access team who are happy to help with any questions you might have.
Note: Although this was a Relaxed Performance, there are also lots of disability- friendly accommodations available at regular performances at the London Coliseum so do get in touch with the access team to find out more about what they can do- access@londoncoliseum.org
To find out more about the access scheme see the link below or email the team directly here:
Access email:
They team wear purple and blue t-shirts so they are very easy to spot!
Throughout the show both sensory and visual programmes are available to everybody.
Visual Programmes Example:
Image Description:
Sensory Programmes Example:
Image Description:
The sensory programme includes:
What you’ll see:
On stage
Pictures of chill-out spaces
Directions to get to chill out spaces and what is there
What you’ll hear:
They play each instrument at the start
Singing including decibels
The visual programme includes:
Pictures of who is who
The context of the show
A synopsis of each act
An easy read document with a visual timetable
For more information see the link below
Some other features of the relaxed performance include:
British sign language-interpreted performances (refers not to a Relaxed Performance at ENO, but to other shows in our season)
Chill out spaces
Range of seating options
Subtitles
Content warnings
Sensory bags and ear defenders are available
Braille and large print
There are multiple spaces in the auditorium for people to use if you need time outside the theatre including activities where you can see and try on costumes, dedicated chill-out and quiet spaces away from the show, as well as areas to watch the opera on screens if you prefer.
Video Guides:
Video guides are always helpful as they eliminate any accessibility concerns. ENO had created video guides of what to expect when attending the relaxed performance of the opera which I found particularly beneficial!
Video of what to expect:
Wheelchair accessible seating arrangements
I was really impressed to see just how in-depth the seating plan was. The access team has a sheet which explained all the measurements for each box so they knew who could sit where safely! As always it’s good to check beforehand where is best for you to be and the team will happily help with this.
Steps:
Boxes 1 and 2: 14 steps down, 11 steps up, then two narrow heavy doors
Box 3: 3 steps down with handrail
Box 4: step-free Box 5: step-free
Box 6: 3 steps down with handrail
Boxes 7 and 8: 13 steps in total
Boxes 9 and Royal Box: 18 steps down from step-free (Dress Circle row K)
Boxes 10, 11, 12 and 13: 11 steps down from step-free (Dress Circle row K)
Boxes 14, 15, 16 and 17: 11 steps up from step-free (Upper Circle Bar), 16 steps down,
then a heavy door, then 9 steps down (36 steps in total)
Boxes A, B, C, F, G and H: step-free
Step-free Box Dimensions:
Doorways:
Box 4: 66.5cm (width) x 208cm (height)
Box 5: 69cm (width) x 207cm (height)
Box A: 78cm (width) x 214m (height)
Box B: 79cm (width) x 220cm (height)
Box C: 80cm (width) x 219cm (height)
Box F: 80cm (width) x 119cm (height)
Box G:
77cm (width) x 221cm (height)
Box H: 78cm (width) x 216cm (height)
Internal measurements of the Box at widest points:
Box 4: 223cm (length) x 160cm (width) Box 5: 229cm (length) x 158cm (width)
Box A: 220cm (length) x 208cm (width)
Box B: 194cm (length) x 194cm (width)
Box C: 189cm (length) x 208cm (width)
Box F: 178cm (length) x 208cm (width)
Box G:
178cm (length) x 204cm (width)
Box H: 260cm (length) x 206cm (width)
Please note that the doorway to Box H has 2cm raised floor lip.
Plug Access in Step-free Boxes
There are plug sockets close to all the step-free Boxes, and Boxes 4 and 5 have plug sockets inside the Boxes.
Overhangs
Boxes A-H and 3-6: The Stalls Boxes have their own rooves, and there is a small amount of overhang from the level above beyond their rooves.
Boxes 1, 2, 7, 8, and 10-17: The Stage, Dress Circle and Upper Circle Boxes all have their own rooves but no extra overhang.
Box 9 and the Royal Box: There is no roof or overhang for either Box.
Accessible Toilets
There are accessible toilets on all levels of the Coliseum, excluding the Upper Circle. The nearest accessible toilet to the step-free Boxes is opposite Box H, and the next nearest accessible toilets are via the lift, either up a level to the Dress Circle, or down a level to the American Bar.
Note: corridors can get busy in the intervals if visually impaired ushers are available to assist you back to your seat.
Overall:
Having never attended a relaxed performance, I was really impressed and would definitely look into going to more in the future.
Nothing was too much trouble for the staff, and it was nice to be able to take breaks and not feel like the odd one out. Everything had been thought about and it definitely enhanced the experience having the personal touches added, and I think these could be transferable to regular shows.
Will you be keeping an eye out for their next performance? I know I will!
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