Curve Leicester

About

Curve is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres. We believe everyone who lives, works or learns in our city should have access to great art and culture. Each year over 750,000 people engage with Curve through performances and projects at our home in Leicester, across the UK and internationally. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, Curve has developed an international reputation for producing, programming and touring a bold and diverse programme of musicals, plays, new work, dance and opera. All of this is presented alongside a dynamic mix of community engagement, artist development and learning programmes, which firmly places audiences, artists and communities at the heart of everything we do.

Curve is proud to offer a programme of accessible performances throughout the year; including Audio Described with Touch Tours, British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreted, Captioned, Dementia Friendly and Relaxed.

Our Audio Described performances are brought to life by our Audio Describers who provide live, verbal commentary on visual aspects of the performance. The description includes an audio introduction to the show prior to the start of the performance to help set the scene. The descriptions are presented via a personal headset that is worn throughout the performance. To reserve a headset, please contact our Box Office team in advance by emailing access@curvetheatre.co.uk or calling a member of the team on 0116 242 3595.

Audio Described performances are accompanied by Touch Tours, which take place 90 minutes prior to an Audio Described performance. These tours give audience members an opportunity to step onto the stage and take a tactile tour of the set and costumes. To reserve your place on our Touch Tours, please contact our Box Office team in advance by emailing access@curvetheatre.co.uk, or by calling the team on 0116 242 3595. You can find our upcoming Audio Described performances with Touch Tours at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/audio-described-performances-with-touch-tours

British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreted performances are presented with live BSL interpretation throughout, performed by a trained BSL interpreter. The interpreter will be positioned on one side of the stage; for information on seats that are best for viewing the interpretation, please contact our Box Office team on 0116 242 3595. You can find our upcoming BSL Interpreted performances at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/bsl-interpreted-performances

At our open Captioned performances, the performers’ dialogue is presented on two amber caption display screens placed either side of the stage. The dialogue rolls at the speed the performer is speaking, operated by a live, trained captioner. For information on the best seats for viewing captions, please contact our Box Office team on 0116 242 3595.You can find our upcoming Captioned performances at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/captioned-performances.

Dementia Friendly performances are tailored to support audience members living with Dementia, their families and carers. These performances are adjusted in terms of lighting, sound and extra signage, making the theatre a calmer, more accessible environment. Audience members may leave and re-enter the theatre as many times as they need to throughout the performance, with extra staff – some of whom are Dementia Friends – on hand to offer information and support. A quiet space is also available before, during and after the performance. You can find our upcoming Dementia Friendly performances at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/dementia-friendly-performances.

Similar to our Dementia Friendly performances, we also offer Relaxed performances that are open to anyone that might benefit from a more relaxed performance environment. These performances contain adjusted lighting and sound, whilst keeping surprises to a minimum. There are extra staff on hand to support and a quiet space available before, during and after the performance. Audience members can leave and re-enter the performance as many times as they need, and pre-show information packs including a visual story for our theatre and information about the performance are avaiable. Examples of the packs and information about upcoming Relaxed performances can be found at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/relaxed-performances

We are also proud to launch our new Made at Curve Buddy Scheme. We realise some individuals may feel nervous or anxious about attending the theatre alone, especially if it’s your first visit with us. Having a Buddy enables audience members to enjoy any Made at Curve production with the comfort of knowing they have a Buddy nearby.

Anyone can request a Curve Buddy. A Buddy may be particularly useful for the elderly, people with neurodivergence, those living with Dementia, individuals with learning disabilities and other sensory or communication needs.

Our Buddies will all be trained in Safeguarding and Health and Safety, as well as completing full DBS disclosures. This is to ensure you are in safe hands and have the best experience with us during your visit to Curve. You can find out more about our Buddy Scheme and how to request a Buddy by visiting our website at www.curveonline.co.uk/made-at-curve-buddy-scheme