Sensory Theatre: How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart is an accessible step-by-step guide to creating theatre for inclusive audiences, such as young people on the autism spectrum or affected by other neuro-divergent conditions and children under two.
Conventional theatre relies on seeing and hearing to involve its audience; sensory theatre harnesses the power of five or more senses to address its participants who have different ways of relating to the world around them. This book is an insightful history of Oily Cart and its pioneering development of work for the very young, including Baby Theatre, and for neuro-divergent audiences including those on the autism spectrum. It gives a clear introduction to the fundamental concepts of this theatre, suggests a host of practical techniques drawn from over forty years of experience, and describes some of Oily Cart’s most radical innovations, including theatre on trampolines, in hydrotherapy pools, and with flying audiences in the company of aerial artists. The book also includes copious photos from the Oily Cart’s archives and links to videos examples of the company’s work. Readers will learn how to
Research the intended audience while not being led astray by labels.
Create a welcoming, immersive sensory space in classrooms, nurseries, school halls, and playgrounds.
Devise sensory stories that can be adapted to suit different audiences.
Recruit, audition, cast, and run rehearsals.
Ensure that the production is truly sensory and interactive.
Written for Theatre for Young Audiences, Drama in Education, and specialized Applied Theatre courses, as well as educators and theatre practitioners interested in creating inclusive, interactive productions, Sensory Theatre offers a goldmine of ideas for making work that connects with audiences who can be the hardest to reach.
Author(s): Tim Webb
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 278
City: New York
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Part One The Beginnings of Sensory Theatre
1 Sensory Theatre: The Beginnings
2 Theatre for Two to Five Year Olds
3 All Sorts of Shows for All Sorts of Kids
4 How Long Is a Piece of Theatre?
5 Close up on PMLD
6 Truly Immersive – Theatre in Hydropools
7 Magic Carpet Ride
8 From PMLD to Autism Spectrum
9 Sensory Theatre for the Very Early Years
Part Two How Sensory Theatre Works
10 Sensory Theatre Audiences
11 Sensory Theatre Is Multisensory
12 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Seeing
13 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Hearing
14 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Touch
15 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Smell
16 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Taste
17 The Senses One by One – the Kinaesthetic Sense
18 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Hot and Cold
19 The Sensory Audit
20 Sensory Theatre Is Close-up and Interactive
21 Wonderlands – Design in Sensory Theatre
22 Staging a Show – Stranden
23 Venues – Open and Closed
24 Music That Is Felt as Much as Heard
25 The Problem With Narrative
26 The Performers in Sensory Theatre
27 Puppets and Pixels
28 Auditions
29 Rehearsals and Rehearsal Spaces
30 Shows That Start Before They Begin – Preparation
Part Three The Growth of Sensory Theatre
31 Canada – Carousel Players
32 USA – Chicago Children’s Theater
33 UK – Bamboozle
34 Ireland – Helium Arts
35 Japan – Hospital Theatre Project
36 Australia – Sensorium Theatre
37 Russia – Four Winds
38 UK – Frozen Light
39 USA – Trusty Sidekick
40 Sweden – Scen:se Project
41 National Theatre of Wales and Oily Cart
42 What’s Next for Oily Cart?
43 Can We Touch? Sensory Theatre in a Time of Covid
Part Four Extras
Appendix 1 Books That I Have Found Especially Useful
Appendix 2 A List of the Shows Written/Directed by Tim Webb
Appendix 3 How Philosophy and Theatre Can Help Us Value Profoundly Disabled People
Appendix 4 Links to Oily Cart Show Videos on YouTube
Index
