Guildford Shakespeare Company tells us about its ambitions to reach more Deaf audiences (BSL)
Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) has spent the past 20 years reimagining how audiences experience theatre and Shakespeare. Alongside its productions, the company has been continuing to develop its accessibility work, with a growing focus on creating more welcoming experiences for Deaf, hard of hearing and disabled audiences.
Through initiatives including BSL-interpreted performances, relaxed performances, visual guides and audio description, GSC hopes to make theatre feel more open and approachable to a wider range of people.
The company says it is keen to continue building relationships with Deaf audiences and encouraging more people to experience its unique style of theatre.
I spoke to co-founder Matt Pinches about the company’s approach to accessibility, the challenges smaller theatre companies face, and why communication and inclusion remain central to their work.
Hi Matt! Could you firstly introduce your role at GSC?
Hello! Sarah and I are the co-founders of GSC, which we started 20 years ago. In the old fashioned sense, you could call us actor-managers in that we also appear in some of our shows.
Tell us a bit about your company, what sort of shows do you make?
Theatre is part of everyone’s life, everyday. All of us engage with theatre because at its heart it’s about storytelling and that’s exactly how we all communicate, and yet for many people there’s still a barrier to it.
We wanted to offer audiences a new way to experience theatre-going, and Shakespeare. Over the last 20 years this single objective to challenge and positively change people’s perception of theatre and Shakespeare has remained unchanged.
Being a site-responsive theatre company (not working in traditional theatre venues) immediately removes the physical barrier and is a fabulous way to engage audiences.
These are already shared spaces – be they churches, gardens, lakes, even a Boeing 747 – and they become another character in the story, giving audiences an opportunity to really inhabit the world of the play, bringing them closer to the actions.
Can you describe what you think good access for Deaf and hard of hearing audiences looks like in your work?
Clear communication is a must. We try to ensure all our images and films are appropriately captioned, be that on our website or on social media. It’s about being sensitive to others’ needs, and thinking how can we do our very best to ensure we’re always as inclusive as we possibly can be.
For example, many of our non-theatre venues (especially in the outdoors for instance), won’t have hearing induction loops installed, so for patrons who might not require BSL but are hard of hearing, we try to seat them as close to the action as we can.
What sort of access do you have in place currently at your shows?
We believe that the experience of live theatre should be accessible to everyone, and that there should be no barriers to engagement, be that financial, physical or mental. Being a site-responsive theatre company means that we use fabulously unique, non-theatre venues, but often because of their age or original purpose, they may not have been intended for theatre audiences.
We always seek to ensure that access is a priority throughout our production process and that our shows are as accessible and as welcoming as possible.
Some of the accessible initiatives we offer include: Visual Guides for every venue that can benefit disabled and neurodiverse patrons alike; Pay What You Can nights offer financial access; Relaxed Performances ensure a welcoming and accepting atmosphere. Audio Description and BSL interpreted performances are also often programmed.
Tell us more about the BSL interpreted performances.
Over the last few years we’ve worked with a local BSL Interpreter across a number of shows. Whilst some of these are your standard ‘interpretation’ (i.e. the interpreter standing to one side of the stage), we have also worked with them to create ‘integrated interpretation’. This is where the interpreter is costumed and is very much part of the performance.
What are your approaches when considering how to make Shakespeare clear and engaging to BSL users through captions or BSL?
Across our work we approach Shakespeare no differently than any other dramatist, because as long as the story is clearly told – with care, respect and an acknowledgement of the audience – everyone can be engaged.
Have you seen more Deaf audiences coming to your shows over time?
Sadly, despite our best efforts to reach out to the Deaf and hard of hearing community, we’ve had low take up for these BSL Interpreted performances. Those who have attended have really enjoyed experiencing the unusual site responsive nature of our work, and the integrated performances opened up a whole new experience for those who had seen ‘standard’ interpretations.
It would be wonderful to spread the word further afield to attract more patrons for these so we can continue to offer them.
What would you say still needs to improve in theatre for deaf audiences?
Awareness and funding. Awareness from the point of view of these performances are available and funding to be able to afford to include them more regularly in the schedules.
This also extends to ensuring patrons’ visits are welcoming and supportive from the moment they step into the theatre environment, whether that’s ensuring the interpreter is there to meet and greet known patrons, FoH staff briefed on best practice or that signage is clearly marked.
We’re a small company so don’t always have the resources to achieve all these things, but as I said before communication is key, at all levels.
To find out more about GSC and their accessible shows, see here.
