This Saturday 12 March, the National Theatre will be taking part in Disabled Access Day, a nationwide event which encourages disabled people to visit somewhere with friends and family that they’ve never been before. This is the second year Disabled Access Day has taken place, and the second time that the National Theatre has taken part.

This year, the National Theatre has even more on offer, as part of a commitment to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many people as possible.

Throughout the day, there will be an opportunity to experience first-hand the various access facilities available at the National Theatre: demonstrations of captioning and audio description used in theatre performance and the opportunity to view access materials and tactile model boxes of show sets. There will also be a BSL interpreted tour of the building taking place at 11.45am. Assisted performances of wonder.land in the Olivier Theatre and The Solid Life of Sugar Water in the Temporary Theatre will take place at 2pm and 3pm respectively. Further, at 1pm Amit Sharma, director of The Solid Life of Sugar Water,will host a BSL interpreted talk examining the creation of accessible theatre.

DISABLED ACCESS DAY ASSISTED PERFORMANCES:

wonder.land – The Olivier Theatre

A new musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, wonder.land is a coming-of-age adventure that explores the blurred boundaries between our online and offline lives.

A Touch Tour at 12.15pm will precede an audio-described performance of wonder.land in the Olivier Theatre at 2pm. The Touch Tour will involve an opportunity to visit the stage, handle the props and meet members of the company.

Suitable for 10yrs+

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – The Temporary Theatre

Graeae Theatre Company and Theatre Royal Plymouths’ The Solid Life of Sugar Water will begin at 3pm in the Temporary Theatre. The show is a fully accessible production, integrating captions and audio description at all performances.

Contains strong language and scenes of an adult and sexual nature.

At 1pm, Amit Sharma, associate director of Graeae Theatre Company and director of The Solid Life of Sugar Water, will present a free 30 minute talk about creating accessible theatre and the Graeae mission to create compelling performances which engage disabled and non-disabled audiences. The talk will be BSL interpreted.

Disabled Access Day is sponsored by Euan’s Guide, the disabled access review website and app, and has the support of VisitScotland, VisitEngland and VisitWales.

For further information please contact: Emma Hardy on 020 7452 3231 or ehardy@nationaltheatre.org.uk