New Hi-Tech Systems for Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre

Thursday, 10 December 2020 14:00

A new system which will enhance the theatre experience for both visually impaired and hard-of-hearing audience members has been installed at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre.

The Dolby Fidelio system enables both audio description of a performance for visually impaired customers and assistive listening for customers who are hard of hearing, enabling them to enjoy more SJT productions, including films in the cinema.

The user upon arrival collects a Fidelio receiver pack which they take with them to their seat in the auditorium. The SJT can provide headphones, or the user may wish to bring their own pair to plug into the unit using the standard mini jack connector.

Each receiver can be programmed to hear an amplified version of the show picked up via a microphone in the space or, on specific performances, an audio description of the production. This is also available on many items in the film programme.

The user has a volume control to ensure that the received audio is at a comfortable level and they can get the most out of our varied programme of work.

The system has been bought with support from the Theatres Trust, the national advisory body for theatres. The Trust’s Improving Accessibility round of the Theatre Improvement Scheme, in association with the Wolfson Foundation, contributed £9,500 towards the project.

Tom Stickland, Theatres Advisor at the Theatres Trust, says:

“Ensuring audiences can access high quality performances is an essential part of the Theatres Trust’s mission of protecting theatres for everyone. This system will remove barriers to engagement with the excellent work of the Stephen Joseph Theatre.”

Caroline Routh, Executive Director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, says:

“We’re delighted to have had the new Dolby Fidelio system installed in time for our re-opening in December with our festive Christmas show, The Snow Queen, which has an audio-described performance on Saturday 19 December at 1pm.

“It’s all part of our continuing commitment to making the theatre as widely accessible as possible.”