Figueres a Escena

Why we offer audio description for select performances

At Teatre El Jardí and Sala La Cate, access is part of making a performance engaging and safe for more people. Audio description verbally conveys what happens on stage, including movement, setting, lighting, expressions, visual humour and changes that sound alone cannot communicate. For blind and low-vision patrons, it opens a route into live theatre; for others, it can clarify a complex production without distracting from dialogue or music.

Our decision to offer audio description for select performances is both practical and artistic. Some productions depend heavily on visual storytelling, while others are already rich in spoken language. We focus on events where description can add meaning, be delivered by a trained practitioner and respect the rhythm of the work. This allows us to refine the service and respond to feedback without presenting access as a hurried extra.

Access as part of the performance

Audio description is access, not a marketing add-on or a substitute for the artistic work. It allows audience members who cannot see the stage to share the same live experience as companions, including the timing of jokes, the scale of choreography and the emotional impact of a visual reveal.

The description should be clear enough to orient a listener without over-explaining every gesture. A skilled describer conveys what matters at that moment: who enters, how a relationship changes, what an object reveals, or how lighting transforms a familiar setting. Silence between events also has meaning and should not be filled automatically.

Description is separate from captioning and Auslan interpretation. Captions represent speech and sound; Auslan combines language, gesture and facial expression. Audio description adds the visual dimension of the staged event, so the three forms can complement one another when requested and available.

Why selected productions are prioritised

Visually driven work usually offers the strongest opportunities. Narrative theatre may place crucial information in a letter, disguise or facial expression, while dance, circus and visually staged opera depend on the relationship between bodies, space and sound. Family productions can also gain from carefully judged description that helps younger audiences understand scale and action.

Selection also reflects practical constraints. A touring production may arrive with fixed staging, rights restrictions on recording and limited technical space. Live description can fit more readily than a recorded track because it can follow a rehearsal and respond to performance timing. Even then, every production needs preparation rather than improvisation from an unprepared reader.

We consider audience demand, the clarity of the visual story, performer and creator consent, available resources and whether the description can be sustained across the full season. Feedback after each event helps us identify productions suited to future work. ATEB’s training in performance gives the organisation a sound foundation for developing this knowledge alongside younger and adult participants.

Creating a clear listening experience

During a live performance, a trained describer works from an agreed performance guide and speaks through a receiver or in-seat system. The guide identifies essential visual events and their placement, allowing the describer to use the performance’s own pauses. Prerecorded description may suit some formats, especially cinema, but it must be synchronised with an edit and checked for tone, pronunciation and timing.

Professional practice keeps description concise, relevant and faithful to the production. It should not disclose a plot surprise prematurely, invent a character’s thoughts or compete with important music. Performers and directors can identify moments that need particular care, including intimacy, violence, strobing light or rapid movement. Clear content notes then allow patrons to make an informed choice.

Screen-based examples can help audiences understand the possibilities and limits of the format. Services offering audio-described cinema show how visual information can be shaped for listening rather than copied from a caption track. Theatre description must be created afresh around each staging, with room left for the live event to breathe.

What Australian audiences expect

Australian audiences bring similar expectations from major cultural precincts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, as well as from regional touring and local festivals. Many visitors combine a performance with public transport, tapping Opal in Sydney or loading Myki in Melbourne before checking when the service runs. Timetables, crowd levels and the walk from a station can affect arrival time, which makes early collection of audio equipment especially useful.

Legislation reinforces the case for inclusive communication. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 requires organisations and businesses to avoid disability discrimination and make reasonable adjustments, while accessibility requirements for buildings are administered through state and territory law and building codes. These rules do not produce an identical experience in every capital city, but they establish access to venues and information as a legal and ethical responsibility.

The local market also matters. Australia’s stages range from commercial seasons and council theatres to independent companies and festivals, each working within different budgets and funding conditions. Auslan interpretation and captioned performances are familiar parts of Australian cultural life, and audiences increasingly expect access details to appear early on event pages. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performances, description teams should work with the makers so that cultural protocols, language and visual meaning are handled with care.

Preparing for an accessible visit

A smooth visit depends on checking a few practical details. Figueres a Escena publishes news alongside its listings, including Casino first-half goals, so visitors may wish to check the site for announcements. The individual event page should remain the source for the confirmed description format, start time and equipment collection point.

Choose an audio-described event at Teatre El Jardí or Sala La Cate, book through the official venue channel and contact the box office early if you need a particular arrangement. On the night, give yourself time to collect the equipment, settle into the auditorium and understand the listening system before the curtain rises. Reserve your place, tell the team what support you need and experience the performance with confidence.