1. Arrange a short and relevant Deaf Awareness session for staff
2. A welcoming and positive (but not patronising) attitude is much more important than signing skills.
3. Allocate seats for deaf patrons if you can (but not necessarily in the front row – can be too close to the stage)
4. Remind the Box Office where the sign language interpreter will be positioned as Deaf patrons will ask when they book tickets
5. If you are offering a captioned alternative, make sure you take advice from them regarding positioning of screen etc.
6. Put as much information as you can on your website- add an email address for queries.
7. Make deaf related information easy to locate and to read
8. Employ a Deaf theatre freelancer to help you recruit and to “meet and greet” deaf patrons
9. Use this “meter & greeter” to canvass views from deaf patrons and to feedback to you
10. Be brave and try out different ways of doing things!
Laraine would be interested in your views – what has worked in the past for you and what hasn’t worked? What would you recommend to your fellow colleagues in other theatres?
Contact Laraine Callow, Director Deafworks on LC@deafworks.co.uk if you would like help with developing a five year plan on Deaf Access, some Deaf Awareness training, or even some research on what your deaf patrons want.
Contact www.stagetext.com on “delivering captioned performances and promoting the use of captioning in cultural venues throughout the UK.”
Contact Terry Ruane at www.theatresign.com for “interpreting as it should be”.
This article first appeared in a SPIT (Signed Performances in Theatre) magazine in June 2006. “SPIT is the leading national body for promoting BSL interpreted performances of mainstream theatre”.
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