Finding a Hard of Hearing and Deaf Friendly Pantomime During Christmas and New Year 2018 - 2019
When it comes to enjoying the Christmas holidays everyone loves a good bit of laughter and a bit of fun. In comes a pantomine show. A colourful live musical comedy full of songs, laughter and slapstick humour. The storyline is usually based on fairy tales and classical stories. Pantomimes have become part of the Christmas holiday tradition across all parts of the UK. Pantomimes come in big and small productions and some including celebrities.
For everyone to enjoy a pantomime, accessibility is key. Now when it comes to theatre showings in 2018, accessibility is improving. If you are a hearing aid user you should be able to find seating in the theatre that will connect your hearing aid through a loop system to the stage for better quality hearing without picking up people chattering or moving about around you. This all depends on if you have a loop system setting on your hearing aid.
Many theatres will have options of BSL interpreted shows and/or captioned theatre performances. A BSL interpreter will sign the spoken and heard aspects of the pantomime. The interpreter will stand on the stage, discreetly but in a place that is clear to the audience. A BSL interpreter will be qualified, skilled and briefed before hand of the performance. There are a few theatres that also do BSL intergrated meaning that British Sign Language is used as part of the show. A captioned performance display the words spoken or sung by performers on an electronic screen at the same time, in a similar way to subtitling. These captions are prepared by a qualified professional prior to the performance and then are presented live as they are spoken.
Here is a comprehensive list of pantomimes during December 2018 and January 2019 that will be showing either a BSL interpreted or captioned performance: It looks like a fantastic array of shows!
Deaf Friendly Pantomines In Wales
Sleeping Beauty at the Riverfront in Newport
There will be a signed school performance on the 18th Dec at 11.30am. Thursday 3rd January 6.30pm. This performance is BSL intepreted by Julie Doyle. Friday 4th 6.30pm will be a relaxed showing suitable for everyone with a reduced sound level and special effects.
Beaty and the Beast at the New Theatre in Cardiff
There will be captioned performances on the 5th January 19 at 2.30pm and the 9th January at 7pm. There will be BSL interpreted performances on the 6th January at 1pm.
Cinderella at the Grand Theatre in Swansea
There will be BSL interpreted performances on the 8th January 7.00pm and the 9th January at 2.00pm.
Cinderella at Venue Cymru in Llandudno
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2pm.
Aladdin at the Aberystwth Arts Centre in Aberystwth
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 12th January at 11am.
Pinocchio at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 20th December at 6pm.
Deaf Friendly Pantomines In Scotland
Sleeping Cutie at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling
There will be a BSL interpreted Performance on the 7 Dec, 7.30pm. There will be a Captioned Performance on the 14th December at 7.30pm.
Snow White at the His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 13th December at 7pm.
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Brunton in Musselburgh
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 21st December at 7pm.
Snow White and the Seven Dames at Perth theatre in Perth
There will be a a BSL intepreted performance on the 29th December at 2pm.
[Sleepin' Cutie at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling]
Deaf Friendly Pantomines In Northern Ireland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Musical Belfast: There will be a captioned performance on the 2nd January at 1pm.
Deaf Friendly Pantomines In England
Robin Hood at the Watermill
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 5th and 8th December at 2.30pm.
A Christmas Carol at the Bristol Old Vic in Bristol
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2pm.
Cinderella at the Bristol Hippodrome Theatre in Bristol
There will be a captioned performance on the 12th December at 7pm and a BSL interpreted performance on the 18th December at 7pm.
Peter Pan at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 27th December at 1pm and a captioned performance on the 28th December at 1pm
Robin Hood at the Milton Keynes Theatre in Milton Keynes
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 18th December at 7pm and a captioned performance on the 27th December at 7pm.
Aladdin at the Cambridge Arts Theatre in Cambridge
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 2nd December at 1pm.
Peter Pan at the Key Theatre in Peterborough
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 5th January at 4pm
Aladdin at the Princess Pavillion in Falmouth
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2.30pm and the 17th December at 7.30pm, the theatre also confirm that there will be a Hearing Loop available at all performances, please ask a member of the Princess Pavilion staff for any further details.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Forum in Barrow in Furness
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 21st December at 6pm
Cinderella at the Pomegranate Theatre in Chesterfield
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2.30pm
The Dinosaur Who Came For Christmas at the Guildhall Theatre in Derby
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 9th December at 2.30pm, the 12th December at 10.30am, the 20th December at 4.30pm and 29th December at 11am. The Guildhall theatre have stated they are taking a different approach to the BSL interpreted performance, which is shadow interpreting, in which interpreters stay on the stage rather than off to the side. By incorporating interpreters into the performance itself, theatres aim to provide a more seamless experience for the entire audience.
Dick Whittington at the Buxton Opera House in Buxton
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 18th December at 7pm.
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Exeter Northcott Theatre in Exeter
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2pm.
Dick Whittington at the Lighthouse in Poole
There will be a captioned performance on the 19th December at 2pm and the 30th December at 4pm.
Sleeping Beauty at the Pavillion Theatre in Bournemouth
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2.30pm
Jack and the Beanstalk at Bridlington Spa Theatre in Bridlington
There will be a BSL signed performance on the 23 December at 1pm and 27 December at 5pm.
Jack and the Beanstak at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester
There will be a captioned performance on the 2nd January 19 at 7pm 
Aladdin at the Everyman Theatre in Chelteham
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 5th January at 4pm.
Cinderlla at the Opera House in Manchester
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 13th December at 7pm
Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Royal in Winchester
There will be a BSL Interpreted Performance on the 12th December at 1pm and the 15th December at 7pm
[Jack and the Beanstalk at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester]
Peter Pan at the Courtyard in Hereford
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 16th December at 2pm.
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Watford Palace Theatre in Watford
There will be a captioned performance on the 3rd January at 1pm
Beauty and the Beast at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 15th December at 2pm and the 22nd December at 2pm.
Stick Man at the Leicester Square Theatre in London
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 24th December at 12.15pm
A Christmas Carol at the Chicken Shed in London
ALL performances will have BSL intergration. There will also be captioned performances on the 6 Dec at 12pm (Schools), 7th December 7pm, 8th December at 3pm, 19th December 7pm and 20th Dec 7pm.
Aladdin at the Hackney Empire in London
There will be BSL interpreted performances on the 8th December 2.30pm and 7pm and on the 13th December at 1.30pm and 7pm
Sleeping Beauty at the King's Lynn Corn Exchange in King's Lynn
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 27th December at 5.30pm.
Peter Pan at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton
There will be a BSL interpreted perrformance on the 15th Dec at 1pm and Sat 29 Dec 5pm. There will also be a captioned performance on the 28th December at 7pm.
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Harrogate theatre in Harrogate
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 14th of Dec at 7:00pm and the 6th January at 12 noon. There will also be captioned performances on the 15th Dec at 12 noon and the 4th January at 7pm.
The Grand Old Dame of York at Theatre Royal in York
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 17th January at 7.30pm and the 19th January at 2.30pm. There will also be a captioned performance on the 26th January at 2.30pm
Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood at the Nottingham Playhouse in Nottingham
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 13th at 7.30pm and 15th December at 2.30pm. There will also be a captioned performance on the 12th December at 7.30pm.
Aladdin at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 2nd January at 6.30pm and captioned performance on the 4th January at 2pm.
Dick Whittington & His Cat at the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford
There will be a captioned performance on the 5th January at 7pm and a BSL interpreted performance on the 2nd January at 4pm.
The Wind in the Willows at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme
There will be a captioned performance on the 19th January at 2.15pm.
Peter Pan at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 28th December at 7pm.
The Three Bears of Christmas at the Northern Stage in Newcastle Upon Tyne
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 28th December at 1.30pm
Peter Pan at the Hippodrome in Birmingham
There will be a BSL Interpreted performance on the 13th January at 1pm and 5.15pm. There will also be a captioned performance on the 6th January at 1pm and the 9th January at 7.15pm
A Christmas Carol at the Leeds Playhouse in Leeds
There will be a captioned performance on the 18th December at 7pm and the 12th January at 2pm. There will also be a BSL interpreted performance on the 29th December at 2pm.
Aladdin at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 14th December at 1pm and 15th December at 1pm.
Aladdin at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon
There will be a BSL interpreted performance on the 7th December at 6.30pm and the 5th January at 2pm.
We took a good look across the UK for where you will find a fantastic panto show for deaf or hard of hearing viewers. What we found was that there tends to be at least one BSL intepreted performance and a little less often a captioned performance additionally or instead of the BSL interpreted performance. I don't know if this is due to an assumption of those who do not use BSL then use a hearing aid with a loop system? However this is not the case and means that individuals who rely on captions and subtitles, especially those who have lost their hearing during adulthood means they are at a disadvantage here. A popular improvement to theatre accessibility are relaxed performances.
I have to say many theatres had at least one relaxed performace. These are a great addition to theatre productions that allow for noise to be made during the performance, the lights to not be as dim, and there will be less sudden noises. The overall atmosphere is laid back and the theatre performance is of a gentler nature. Fantastic for children with a learning disability or sensory sensitivities. A few theatres also shone out at really making everyone feel welcome at their shows. Seeing BSL intergrated performaces as well as some theatres having a sign language interpreter for each performance showing of their pantomime.
Being able to book your tickets very easily over the internet also really helps with the accessibilty of the theatre going process. This seemed to be an option for most if not all of the theatres websites for the pantomime performances. Some of which needed booking in advance as they had already sold out but not having the pressure to contact the theatre by telephone or in person to buy the ticket allows for ease and an overall happier experience of knowing you have heard the right performance date, time and number of tickets.