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Upcoming audio-described and captioned performances at the Abbey Theatre

• Ages of the Moon: Saturday 28 November 2009, 2pm
• The Seafarer: Saturday 30 January 2010, 2pm
• Christ Deliver Us!: Saturday 13 March 2010, 2pm

To book your ticket, contact the Abbey Theatre

• In person: Abbey Theatre, 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1
• By Phone: 01 878 7222 By Fax: 01 872 9177
• By Email:info@abbeytheatre.ie
• Online: www.abbeytheatre.ie

Arts & Disability Ireland is continuing its pioneering work in delivering audio description and captioning services at the Abbey Theatre, making live performance accessible to blind, visually impaired people, D/deaf, Deafened and hard-of-hearing people.

What is Audio Description?

Audio-description provides visually impaired and blind audiences with a live commentary of the visual elements in live performance through individual headsets. Audience members receive programme notes in Braille, audio or large-print format giving them detailed information about the set, characters and costumes in advance of the performance.

What is Captioning?

Captioning is similar to television subtitling and gives D/deaf, deafened and hard of hearing audiences access to live performances with the actors’ words appearing on a display unit (or units) on or near the stage at the same time as they are spoken or sung. Character names, sound effects and off-stage noises are also shown. The captions are prepared in advance by a trained Captioner who operates them as the action unfolds on stage.

In 2009, Arts & Disability Ireland trained 2 Captioners and 4 Audio Describers establishing the first pool of qualified, professional Captioners and Audio Describers in the Republic of Ireland. Since the establishment of the services in 2006, Arts & Disability Ireland has provided Audio Description and Captioning Services to the Abbey Theatre, the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival and Axis, Ballymun.

If you are interested in finding out more about Arts & Disability Ireland’s Audio Description and Captioning Services, contact Janet by email: janet@adiarts.ie or phone: 01 473 6600