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Arts & Disability Ireland deliver Audio-Description & Captioning services at the Abbey Theatre , axis Ballymun and Project Art Centre, making Irish theatre more accessible to audiences with disabilities

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.

About the service

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 to the Abbey Theatre, the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival and Axis, Ballymun.

 

FORTHCOMING PROGRAMME OF AUDIO DESCRIBED & CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES /

SEPTEMBER to DECEMBER 2010 SCHEDULE:

 

 The Plough and the Stars by Sean O'Casey

• Venue: Abbey Theatre, 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1

• Date / Time: Saturday 18th September 2010, 2pm
  

• Accessible Services provided: Audio Description (incl. audio, Large Print and braille programme notes) & Captioning Services
  

• For bookings: T: 01) 878 7222  / F: 01) 872 9177 / E: boxoffice@abbeytheatre.ie 

 

No Child.... by Nilaja Sun (Part of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival 2010)

• Venue: axis Theatre, Axis, Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin

• Date / Time: Saturday 16th October 2010, 8pm
  

• Accessible Services provided: Captioning Service only
  

• For bookings: T: 01) 883 2100 / E: info@axis-ballymun.ie
  

 

John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen (New version by Frank McGuinness)

• Venue: Abbey Theatre, 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1

• Date / Time: Saturday 13th November 2010, 2pm
  

• Accessible Services provided: Audio Description (incl. audio, Large Print and braille programme notes) & Captioning Services

• For bookings: T: 01) 878 7222 / F: 01) 872 9177 / E: boxoffice@abbeytheatre.ie

 

 Big Ole Piece of Cake by Seán McLoughlin

• Venue: Project Arts Centre, 39 East essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

• Date / Time: Saturday 20th November 2010, 3.15pm

• Accessible Services provided: Captioning Service only

• For bookings: T: 01) 881 9613 / Online at www.projectartscentre.ie 
  

 

Freefall by Michael West

• Venue: Abbey Theatre, 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1
  

• Date: Saturday 4th December 2010, 2pm
  

• Accessible Services provided: Audio Description (incl. audio, Large Print and braille programme notes) & Captioning Services.
  

• For bookings: T: 01) 878 7222 / F: 01) 872 9177 / E: boxoffice@abbeytheatre.ie
  

 

Dates for your 2011 Diary!

We have lots of Audio Described and Captioned performances coming up in 2011 with even more to be confirmed. Heres just a wee taster of the accessible theatrical highlights you can look forward to in the New Year!

Production               Venue                             Date of Accessible Performance 

Arrah na Pogue       Abbey Theatre             29th January 2011

The East Pier          Abbey Theatre             2nd April 2011

The Passing           Abbey Theatre              9th April 2011

 

If you would like to book for any of the 2011 audio described and captioned performances at the Abbey Theatre (listed above), you can phone the Abbey Boxoffice at 01) 878 7222, fax them at 01) 872 9177 or email at boxoffice@abbeytheatre.ie