Relaxed Performace Pantomime
We were recently invited to the Relaxed Performance Pantomime at the iconic Birmingham Hippodrome. Within this world-renowned theatre, our Cleaning Operatives are always on their toes, every day of the week. Whether they have a small time frame in which to clean the auditorium before the next performance or they are cleaning the windows on the exterior of the building, our on-site team ensure this popular venue is in great shape.
All Birmingham Hippodrome employee’s wore sparkly hats to be more recognisable
The Relaxed Performance Pantomime is open to anybody, but is specially adapted for people who have autism, learning disabilities or sensory and communication disorders. To help everyone feel welcome, the Hippodrome release fewer tickets for sale, provide increased wheelchair capacity and give audience members more space to make them feel comfortable.
Front and back row seats were removed to allow more wheelchair access
The performance of Dick Whittington was captioned
As the Birmingham Hippodrome adapted their processes for this particular performance, our own on-site Cleaning Team also played their part in making the theatre as safe and user friendly as possible. Our team ensured that all doors were left open, allowing all patrons to easily leave and enter at their own will. Our Cleaning Operatives also turned all hand-driers in the washrooms off, so as to create a pleasant and calm environment.
‘Sensory Rooms’ allowed patrons to have a ‘time-out’
Both the auditorium and reception areas were adapted for the Relaxed Performance. Namely, all Hippodrome staff wore bright, glittery hats so as to be easily recognisable to all patrons and not only was there more signs, but these signs were enlarged. Adjacent to the reception area’s there were ‘Sensory Rooms’, filled with fun activities and the ideal place for patrons to take a ‘time out’ if they needed to. In the auditorium, both front row and back row seats were removed to ensure that there was plenty of wheelchair access. The whole performance is captioned on large screens and volume is slightly reduced.
The Relaxed Performance was an incredibly uplifting experience and it was fantastic to see first-hand how our Performance Partnership with the Hippodrome directly contributes to such positive events!
