“Relaxed Performance”: A Step Towards a More Inclusive Theatre

Accessibility and inclusion are widely discussed across different fields, yet the perspective of neurodiversity in theatre still receives too little attention. The training sessions held at the National Kaunas Drama Theatre on May 7–9 with accessibility consultant Zoë Halliday from Scotland, who has extensive experience in this field, became an opportunity to explore theatre accessibility from the perspective of neurodivergent people more broadly. She is the founder of “Relaxed Accessible Performance” and has been specialising in neurodiversity and Relaxed Performance for around 15 years.

Representatives of different theatre departments were introduced during the training to concepts such as “neurodiversity,” “neurotypical,” “neurodivergent,” and “Relaxed Performance.” These terms are still only beginning to find their place both in society and within the theatre field, and at first may sound complex or unfamiliar. However, listening to Zoë Halliday made it much clearer which directions theatres could take in order to create a more accessible and inclusive environment.

Why is this important to us? Since 2015, the National Kaunas Drama Theatre has been adapting performances for audiences with visual impairments, and since 2017 – for audience members with hearing impairments. The theatre continues to move steadily towards greater accessibility. Inclusion in theatre has also been strengthened for several years by the international festival “Dive into Theatre” (“Nerk į teatrą”), which focuses strongly on educational activities for audiences of different ages with intellectual disabilities.

The guest from Scotland introduced actors, creative staff, performance and audience service teams, and representatives of the management department to the specifics of Relaxed Performance. These trainings are part of the preparation for the “Dive into Theatre” festival taking place this November. During the festival, we aim to create a more inclusive theatre experience for neurodiverse audiences, including neurodivergent spectators (people with autism, Tourette syndrome, dyslexia, ADHD, etc.).

An important part of the training was the direct involvement of communities themselves — members of the Kaunas Pranas Daunys Education Centre community and representatives of the Kaunas “Arka” community attended the sessions and observed performances. They shared their experiences and provided feedback, which will help us continue striving to become more open and accessible.

During “Dive into Theatre,” the repertory performances “Open the Door” and “Hello, Fox!” will be adapted into Relaxed Performance versions and presented to audiences. We will also welcome Zoë Halliday and other professionals in the field once again during the conference organised as part of the festival, where we will share good practices and practical skills with colleagues from other cultural and educational institutions.

Everyone can dive in!