Touch Tour for Noises Off
"The guided tours of the set give a real sense of picturing the scene"

Visiting

Audio Described Performances

Audio Description for blind and partially sighted people:

Click here to find out which performances in our current season are Audio Described.

Visit Vocaleyes for more information on Audio Description or to find Audio Described Performances at other venues accross the country.  

Audio Description is a great way for anyone who finds it difficult to see the details of a performance to still enjoy coming to the theatre. If you use television audio description, a magnifier or large print books at home then live audio description means you can enjoy a theatre outing with your friends and family.

  • Listen to an audio example of the Audio Described Performance of Aladdin to the right of this page

  • Read interiews with the Audio Describers in the Download section to the right

We recommend Audio Description headsets are pre-booked at the Box Office for a returnable deposit of £10.00

Audio Description Headset User

 

WHAT DO THE AUDIENCE THINK?

“I would like to say a tremendous thank you for the wonderful service that you provide for VI's, I have been to several performances, the last being Aladdin, which was the best yet, your audio input just gets better and better. I have already booked for three more shows with AD (Audio Description), so look forward to your friendly efficient staff who take good care of us and make the whole theatre experience so much more enjoyable. We feel that we are not missing out on any part of the plot, and not made to feel that we are not at a greater disadvantage than the so called normal sighted public, I wish other sectors of entertainment took a leaf out of your book. The guided tours of the set give a real sense of picturing the scene, in a way it is a bit like reading a book, it puts an image into your mind and makes you a part of what is going on all around you. Please keep up the good work.”

Maggie Davy, Hadleigh

“I came with Oyster, my Guide Dog, last year to see 'Desperate to be Doris' with a friend. It was the first time I had been to an AD (Audio Described) performance, having only used AD at home on the television beforehand so was curious about how it would work. The AD was brilliant, giving enough commentary to keep up with the plot, but not becoming so constant that it became hard to follow what was happening on stage. The opportunity to participate in the touch tour was really helpful, as it was useful to have a 'feel' of things being described, although Oyster became very interested in playing games with some of the props!”

Piers Nummelin & Oyster, Bury St Edmunds

MEET THE AUDIO DESCRIBERS


Eleanor Margolies - Audio Describer
Eleanor Margolies, Audio Describer

ELEANOR MARGOLIES

Eleanor trained as an audio describer at Greenwich Theatre in 2003, and now works around the country as a freelance describer. She is also a writer and theatre-maker, with a particular interest in puppetry.

www.eleanormargolies.co.uk

 

 

Ruth James, Audio Describer
Ruth James, Audio Describer

 RUTH JAMES

Ruth James qualified as an Audio-Describer in 2007; trained by Vocaleyes Describers as part of the See-A-Voice programme, which aimed to extend the availability of Description throughout the country.
She has worked on a fascinating variety of theatre productions since then – from one man drag cabaret – ‘Bend it Like Beauty’ - to more traditional theatre such as Ibsen and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, and in very different venues - from tiny studios to large theatres.

 

Jonathan Lodge
Jonathan Lodge, Audio Describer

JONATHAN LODGE

Jonathan grew up in and around Bury St Edmunds and was a keen participant in the Performing Arts.  As a member of The Voice Squad he sang at such prestigious venues as The Royal Albert Hall, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and the London Palladium and was the West Suffolk Young Musician of the Year vocal finalist.  Having graduated with a first class BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from Guildford School of Acting, Jonathan spent a year in London working as VIP Concierge at the Apollo Victoria Theatre during the opening of Wicked where hosted the likes of Jennifer Anniston, Shirley Bassey, Sharon Osborne and Sir Terry Wogan.  A change in direction saw Jonathan train as a drama teacher at Warwick University and he is currently Subject Leader for Drama at King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds.  He trained as an audio describer in 2009 with the See A Voice project.