Special one-off performance

Glasgow Clyde College students will strip their 2019 pantomime back to the bare necessities as they present an autism-friendly performance of The Jungle Book this Christmas.

The cast will produce a special one-off performance during their two-week run, which has been specifically directed to be sensory friendly in order to reach a wider audience.

The show will reduce the volume of sound effects and have no lighting or strobe effects, all of which can act as barriers to many potential theatre goers.

David Lee-Michael, senior lecturer at the College and director of the show said: “Theatre can be an intimidating place for many audience members, which is why we work hard to promote inclusive performances that are more widely accessible than your average production.

“We are very happy to be able to offer an autism-friendly performance this year, thanks largely to the cast who have put a great deal of time and effort into fundraising and rehearsals.”

To fund the quiet performance, the college’s NC and HND cast members swapped the stage for the supermarket on Thursday 14 November to pack bags and raise money to ensure the performance is free to attend.

The show marks the 30th anniversary of the College’s annual pantomime, and signifies Glasgow Clyde College’s continuing commitment to provide accessible stage shows, following on from a British Sign Language (BSL)/English version of The Wizard of Oz performed in 2018.

Students studying on the College’s acting and performance courses will take to the stage at the purpose-built theatre at its Langside campus for a total of 13 performances, from 2nd December to 14th December. The quiet performance will take place on 12th December at 1pm.