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creating possibilities for disabled children
Image of Storm at Shanghai Children's Art Theatre
Image of Storm at Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre

‘‘It was a magical, theatrical, atmospheric delight. Transporting our young people to a magical island, the interaction between actors and students created a unique shared experience.” Joni McAuliffe, The Avenue School

About the show:

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Tempest, Storm tells the story of the magician Prospero, his apprentice Ariel and the creature Caliban.

Designed for autistic children and young people, this enchanting, intimate production has been carefully designed to put audience members at ease throughout, giving them space and time to move freely and experience the show in their own way.

Using elements of The Tempest and a limited amount of Shakespeare’s language, Storm tells a dramatic story of the sea, ships, islands and magic. Audience members will be welcomed into the performance space with relaxing music and during the performance will be invited to interact with the actors and the setting.

About Storm

Storm has toured UK schools, featured at the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, and toured to Shanghai and Egypt. A Chinese version of the show has been created in partnership with Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre.

About Bamboozle’s shows for autistic audiences:

These performances are intimate shows for a maximum group size of 6 children accompanied by their teachers, carers, or family group.

In school settings, we accommodate smaller group sizes of four audience members to enable a 1:1 ratio with our team of four performers.

Maintaining small audiences enables our team to provide a high level of focussed attention and the opportunity for intensive interaction. Each moment will be tailored to each child’s needs by a team of Bamboozle performers who are highly experienced in adapting to, and interacting with, children and young people who have a variety of complex and differing needs.

“I am speechless. The performance excelled all expectations. It was fantastic. Never before have I watched a show that is so inclusive and adaptable to all needs. The intensive interaction applied was extremely inspiring”. Imogen Pearce, Radlett Lodge School

“Wow, it was breath-taking. A real privilege to watch our students so engaged and present in your show. To see their responses and even communicating with words they heard within the performance was magical. Thank you”. Aimee Robinson, Priory Woods School

“I couldn’t hope for a better, more sensitive, engaging performance. Fully immersive, totally exciting!!’’ Ian Bearcroft, Oakleigh School

What you need to know

This show can be adapted for individual sensory sensitivities by informing our team of any particular sensitivities ahead of performances. The show includes moments of loud acoustic music, loud voices and interactive props.

Cost: TBC.

Recommended age range: 6 – 14 years.

  • We’re able to provide up to 4 x 40 minute performances throughout the school day.
  • Each show for a maximum group of 4 children.
  • For groups where pupils are comfortable with sitting for a 40 minute performance, we can accommodate groups of 6.

Floor space required: 10m x 7m x 3.5m high minimum. We require exclusive use of the space for the duration of our visit.

Further information and resources

Watch a short film about the show in a school setting

A short film of Storm at Hakawy International Arts festival for Children

Download our Companion Pack for Teachers and Support Staff

See an example of our Visual Story

Rain splashes over the top of a blue umbrella twirled by an actor. Two young audience members feel the water spray. A musician plays a wash tub bass in the background.
Performance of Rain Rain at Riverside School, March 2020

“Amazing – awe-inspiring and thoroughly engaging. Beautiful and mesmerising. Thank you so much”. Lisa Boyes, Victoria Education Centre

Patience and Bird are waiting for rain in the dusty, dry heat of the American Dust Bowl when Clanky Jane arrives with her ‘Cloud-O-Matic’ rain making machine.  Featuring captivating visual effects, puppetry, live music and a sprinkling of water, Rain Rain will immerse your children in a safe and engaging adventure.

This intimate show for just 6 children is specifically designed for audiences of children on the autistic spectrum.  The actors are highly skilled at creating a welcoming and calm space where time is given to accommodate the particular needs of individual children.  Parents can relax safe in the knowledge that Bamboozle has a well-earned world-wide reputation for creating theatre for children on the spectrum.

About Rain Rain:

Rain Rain is the adapted version of our original show Pulse for autistic children, which was developed with the aim of creating a production with three different versions that were adaptable for the needs of our different audiences; disabled audiences with complex needs, those on the autism spectrum and inclusive audiences. Rain Rain toured to special schools through the UK in March 2020 – a tour which was sadly cut short due to the mounting risks of Coronavirus at the time – and was sent out again for a five week schools tour in Autumn 2022.

Cost:

The cost for a school to book Rain Rain is £1,295.

We provide up to 4 x  40 minute performances (subject to the timings of the school day), with each performance catering for 4 – 6 pupils. (Group sizes will depend on pupils’ individual access needs, with a maximum of 4 pupils in groups who might be described as hard to reach to ensure a 1:1 ratio with members of the Bamboozle team).

To book please email jade@bamboozletheatre.co.uk, or call our office on 0116 255 2065 and ask for Jade or Jennifer.

Watch this video to see our ‘relaxed’ version for inclusive audiences:

About Bamboozle’s shows for autistic audiences:

Bamboozle’s productions for autistic audiences are designed to cater for groups of up to 6 children, aged 6-14, and their family groups or teachers and support staff. The shows accommodate the very wide range of abilities within the autism spectrum.

Bamboozle’s continuing research has highlighted the need for performances that are accessible to all levels of the spectrum including those children and young people who are described as being hard-to-reach or those who may present behaviour that challenges us.

Performances are tailored to each child’s needs by a team of Bamboozle performers who are highly experienced in adapting to, and interacting with, children and young people who have a variety of complex and differing needs.

“Children who would not usually initiate independent exploration stood up and actively engaged in the scene. Vocalisations, words and phrases were made and said that are rarely heard in the classroom setting. A wonderful performance and I was overwhelmed by the response from our children! They thoroughly enjoyed it!” – Josie McGrath, Priory Woods School

“The show has it all: sensory stimulation, catchy songs and beats and beautiful participatory moments where each child felt important and like the only one in the room. A compelling story with a realistic message of hope and determination.

It brought me to tears to witness the children interact, laugh out loud, get lost in the show, overcome moments of fear, and ultimately have fun watching a show so accessible for them. There needs to be so much more arts accessible for everyone – it has possibility to create change and Bamboozle did that today”. Kathryn Oscier, Portfield School

What you need to know:

This show can be adapted for individual sensory sensitivities by informing our team of any particular sensitivities ahead of performances.

Floor space required: 11m x 6m x 3m high minimum. Bamboozle’s requires exclusive use of the space for the duration of our visit.

The production features natural sensory materials including Children’s Play Sand mixed with organic cinnamon, diluted essential basil oil, (not applied directly to skin), cornflakes, rubber wellington boots and hessian sacks. The production also features some loud percussive sounds, and a light sprinkling of water over the audience.

Recommended age range: 8-16 years

Further information and resources

Listen to our Rain Rain theme by artist Gren Bartley

Example of Visual Story

Rain Rain Companion Pack for Teachers and Support Staff

 

Join Betty, Doris and Arthur as they explore the textures, smells and tastes of their World War II allotment. You’ll be visited by a mischievous mole and will escape to a magical and relaxing forest, where you’ll encounter bees buzzing around their hives.

Made especially for young audiences described as having profound and multiple learning disabilities, this multi sensory show creates a welcoming and enchanting world with music, puppetry and lots of invitations to take part in immersive interaction.

Bamboozle are delighted to be touring this especially adapted show, which ensures that individual attention is given to every audience member. The production has been carefully designed to fully accommodate social distancing and make sure that all interactive elements are delivered in a Covid-safe way.

 

“A magical, relaxing experience” Andrea, parent

“A lovely experience to bring us together in such strange times. Safe, inclusive and such a pleasure” Sam, parent

“Ingenious, refreshing, uplifting” Kate, parent

 

Running time 45-55 mins

Age recommendation: We usually recommend an age range of 6 to 14 years for the show, though it has often been enjoyed by older teenagers and young adults and may be suitable for some younger audience members, we think families are best able to judge this themselves.

 

Watch this space for the announcement of further dates.

More information

Down to Earth Outdoor – Belgrave Hall – Guide and FAQs

Down to Earth Companion Pack for Teachers and Support Staff

 

Our Front of House performances are designed to bring a burst of live music and colour to your front door!

Our performances provide a 30-minute set of acoustic and electric songs from a team of three musicians and a technician. The team arrive and set up a festival-themed performance area in either a front of back garden, or on street outside your house.

Front of House performances have been designed to ensure that our team can remain socially distanced from each other and from our audience. In order to for us to set up, we’ll need room to put up a 3m x 3m gazebo, with at least another 3m in front of the gazebo, and a meter either side for speakers.

If weather permits, families can sit outside to enjoy the performance, or remain inside the home to enjoy the music, e.g. this set up is recommended if you and your family are shielding, or if social distancing might present an issue for your children.

We encourage neighbours to listen in from a safe distance, too, whether in their own gardens or from their doorsteps. We will provide flyers that you can put through letterboxes to notify neighbours about our visit in advance. 

We are currently resting our Front of House project, and will update this page when the project goes out again. 

For any enquiries, please email: jennifer@bamboozletheatre.co.uk.

What families have said about our Front of House performances

“A special privilege of having a private concert on our front garden! My daughter laughed and danced and it felt so special to have those memories”. Andrea, parent

“I was humbled by the effort Bamboozle had gone to specifically to entertain my daughter. Our neighbours were thrilled to be invited and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was really lovely to see and be able to talk to people we hadn’t had any face to face contact with for some considerable time. It brightened up our weekend and lifted our spirits”. Iona, parent

“My daughter absolutely loved the performance, which was truly unique and something she hadn’t experienced before. She loved the fact that the performance was taking place in her garden and so she didn’t have the anxiety she would normally experience going out to a venue to see it. Tess, parent

“Amazing experience, so special just for our family. Unforgettable” Judith, parent

“It was something extremely special for my daughter as she has been shielding. It was a way of keeping her connected to the things she loves through this tricky time. Her visual difficulties mean she struggles to access things via a screen so this was perfect for her”. Joanne, parent

What you need to know

Recommended age range: flexible

Possible triggers: Loud music (volume can be altered as appropriate).

Download visual story

See an example of our flyer for neighbours

 

Please contact us via info@bamboozletheatre.co.uk and we will respond either via email or with a phone call if that is more suitable.

Photo of Bamboozle's PMLD production Makara and the Mountain Dragon

“Amazing and beautifully paced. Actors gave students enough time to process and interact in their own ways. Very inclusive. It was beautiful to see how students enjoyed it. Thank you!”. Alex, Brookfields School

In a land where dragons are more than myths, we meet Makara – a girl who is different – a girl who has wings. Makara wants to learn how to fly.

A dragon’s egg – the first in a thousand years – is about to hatch. It is Makara’s destiny to return the young dragon to where it belongs. The mountains are calling. The mountain dragon is waiting.

About Makara and the Mountain Dragon

Makara and the Mountain Dragon is Bamboozle’s newest production designed for young audiences who might be described as having profound and multiple learning disabilities, and toured to UK schools in December 2019 and January 2020. The development of the show was supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Arts Council England.

About Bamboozle’s shows for disabled audiences with complex needs

Makara and the Mountain Dragon is an intimate show for just 6 children and is specifically designed for children who might be described as having profound and multiple learning disabilities, along with their family groups or teachers and support staff.

Performances are tailored to each child’s needs by a team of Bamboozle performers who are highly experienced in adapting to, and interacting with, children and young people who have a variety of complex needs.

The show is particularly suitable for children who use a wheelchair.

“The most beautiful sensory spectacle! Everything from the music, puppetry and scenery was completely captivating and spellbinding. Watching our pupils immersed in the experience and the joy in their faces was utterly magical. It met all the sensory needs of our pupils with PMLD, I only wished it could have lasted another hour!” Hannah O-Mara, Birch Wood School

“A fantastic experience for both staff and pupils! All pupils were appropriately engaged and their needs had been thought about and catered for. Some pupils who are very difficult to engage usually, chose to engage with the specialist props/musical elements. Wonderful to see how the performance was adapted dependent on needs of children with very complex needs. An emotional experience for staff – we were blown away! Thank you!” Lucy Naylor, Sunningdale School

What you need to know

The production uses a number of sensory elements, including aromas of essential oils (these are not applied directly to the skin) and the scent of Lapsang Souchong tea. The production also includes moments of loud music.

Recommended age range: 6 – 14 years

Further information and resources

Watch a short film about the show

See an example programme for the show

Listen to an example audio programme

Makara and the Mountain Dragon Companion Pack for Teachers and Support Staff

 

Photos of Bamboozle's AS production Moon Song at Shanghai Children's Art Theatre. An actress listens to the voice on a young audience member through a long silver tube.
Photo credit: Moon Song at Shanghai Children’s Art Centre, 2019

“It was magical to see how the pupils engaged with the show. The staff are so highly skilled and adjusted to every students’ needs”. Antonia Peters, Lakeside School.

Moon Song tells the story of Megan who falls asleep dreams of going to the moon where she encounters silvery creatures, flying saucers and shooting stars. Welcomed into the performance with relaxing music, audience members are invited to join Megan on a space-themed adventure.

This enchanting, intimate production is designed to put audience members at ease throughout, giving them space and time to move freely and experience the show in their own way.

Using Bamboozle’s calm approach, incorporating invitation and interaction, this sensory show caters for groups of six autistic children along with their families and carers or school staff.

About Moon Song:

Moon Song has toured to UK schools and theatres and toured internationally to Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre.

About Bamboozle’s shows for autistic audiences:

These performances are intimate shows for a maximum group size of 6 children accompanied by their teachers, carers, or family group.

In school settings, we accommodate smaller group sizes of four audience members to enable a 1:1 ratio with our team of four performers.

Maintaining small audiences enables our team to provide a high level of focussed attention and the opportunity for intensive interaction. Each moment will be tailored to each child’s needs by a team of Bamboozle performers who are highly experienced in adapting to, and interacting with, children and young people who have a variety of complex and differing needs.

“Fantastic! Our students find everyday a challenge, often needing constant direction and support to keep themselves and others safe. Your performances allow our students freedom to be themselves and for us to observe them in a place they can connect and understand”. Alex Sawyer, Yeoman Park School.

“Very moving – it was incredible to see the actors interact with the children and the time that was taken to give attention to each child individually. It really felt like a safe space was created where the children could join in and express themselves”. Nosheen Rara, Phoenix Primary and Secondary School.

What you need to know

This show can be adapted for individual sensory sensitivities by informing our team of any particular sensitivities ahead of performances. The show includes moments of loud acoustic music, loud voices and interactive props.

Recommended age range: 6 – 14 years

Further information and resources

Watch our short film about the show

  Watch our longer film (20 minutes) with commentary from Artistic Director, Christopher Davies.

Listen to our Moon Song theme by artist Tayo Akinbode.

Moon Song Companion Pack for Teachers and Support Staff

 

 

 

 

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