Sensory Theatre: How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart

279 Pages·2022·14.503 MB·English

by  Tim Webb

Sensory Theatre
Sensory Theatre: How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for
Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart is an accessible step-by-step
guide to creating theatre for inclusive audiences, such as young people on
the autism spectrum or affected by other neuro-divergent conditions and
children under two.
Conventional theatre relies on seeing and hearing to involve its audience;
sensory theatre harnesses the power of fve or more senses to address its
participants who have different ways of relating to the world around
them. This book is an insightful history of Oily Cart and its pioneering
development of work for the very young, including Baby Theatre, and for
neuro-divergent audiences including those on the autism spectrum. It gives
a clear introduction to the fundamental concepts of this theatre, suggests
a host of practical techniques drawn from over 40 years of experience, and
describes some of Oily Cart’s most radical innovations, including theatre
on trampolines, in hydrotherapy pools and with fying audiences in the
company of aerial artists. The book also includes copious photos from the
Oily Cart’s archives and links to video examples of the company’s work.
Readers will learn how to:
• Research the intended audience while not being led astray by labels.
• Create a welcoming, immersive sensory space in classrooms, nurseries,
school halls and playgrounds.
• Devise sensory stories that can be adapted to suit different audiences.
• Recruit, audition, cast and run rehearsals.
• Ensure that the production is truly sensory and interactive.
Written for Theatre for Young Audiences, Drama in Education and specialised
Applied Theatre courses, as well as educators and theatre practitioners
interested in creating inclusive, interactive productions, Sensory Theatre
offers a goldmine of ideas for making work that connects with audiences
who can be the hardest to reach.
Tim Webb is one of the three co-founders of the Oily Cart theatre com-
pany producing inclusive shows for young people of all ages and abilities.
He was the Artistic Director and chief writer of the company from 1981 to
his retirement in 2018. During this time, he led a team that created more
than 85 productions for young people including those labelled as having
Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities or other complex disabilities.
An honorary fellow of Rose Bruford College, he has taught and directed
sensory, immersive and interactive theatre in Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Canada,
China, Ireland, Russia, Sweden and the USA, as well as throughout the
UK. In 2011, he was honoured to be appointed MBE by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II for his work for young people with disabilities. To fnd out more
about Oily Cart, visit www.oilycart.org.uk.
Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive,
Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences
by a Founder of Oily Cart
Tim Webb
Cover image: Blue 2006 Oily Cart. A starry, starry night. Ace, played by
Mark Foster, opens his Blues Bag full of stars. Design: Claire de Loon. Photo:
Patrick Baldwin.
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Tim Webb
The right of Tim Webb to be identifed as author of this work has been asserted in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation without intent to
infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-54863-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-54947-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-09128-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003091288
Typeset in Goudy
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
For my grandchildren: Émil and Etta

Contents
Bubbles 1997 Oily Cart. Design: Claire de Loon.
Photo: Paul Harris
Foreword xi
Jonathan Shmidt Chapman
Preface xiv
Acknowledgements xvii
viii Contents
PART ONE
The Beginnings of Sensory Theatre 1
1 Sensory Theatre: The Beginnings 3
2 Theatre for Two to Five Year Olds 7
3 All Sorts of Shows for All Sorts of Kids 13
4 How Long Is a Piece of Theatre? 18
5 Close up on PMLD 23
6 Truly Immersive – Theatre in Hydropools 29
7 Magic Carpet Ride 35
8 From PMLD to Autism Spectrum 39
9 Sensory Theatre for the Very Early Years 45
PART TWO
How Sensory Theatre Works 51
10 Sensory Theatre Audiences 53
11 Sensory Theatre Is Multisensory 59
12 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Seeing 63
13 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Hearing 69
14 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Touch 75
15 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Smell 84
16 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Taste 89
17 The Senses One by One – the Kinaesthetic Sense 91
18 The Senses One by One – the Sense of Hot and Cold 99
19 The Sensory Audit 103
20 Sensory Theatre Is Close-up and Interactive 106
21 Wonderlands – Design in Sensory Theatre 114
Contents ix
22 Staging a Show – Stranden 123
23 Venues – Open and Closed 128
24 Music That Is Felt as Much as Heard 131
25 The Problem With Narrative 137
26 The Performers in Sensory Theatre 141
27 Puppets and Pixels 152
28 Auditions 160
29 Rehearsals and Rehearsal Spaces 164
30 Shows That Start Before They Begin – Preparation 167
PART THREE
The Growth of Sensory Theatre 179
31 Canada – Carousel Players 181
32 USA – Chicago Children’s Theater 185
33 UK – Bamboozle 189
34 Ireland – Helium Arts 193
35 Japan – Hospital Theatre Project 198
36 Australia – Sensorium Theatre 201
37 Russia – Four Winds 206
38 UK – Frozen Light 210
39 USA – Trusty Sidekick 214
40 Sweden – Scen:se Project 218
41 National Theatre of Wales and Oily Cart 221
42 What’s Next for Oily Cart? 225
43 Can We Touch? Sensory Theatre in a Time of Covid 233