The Gift - Relaxed Performance Sensory Guide

Relaxed Performance – Sensory Guide Saturday 10th February at 2:15pm Linbury Studio Theatre, LAMDA Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes including a 15 minute interval.

Content warnings: This play contains adult content, including references of racial abuse and violence, blood and injury detail, explicit and discriminatory language (including that around race), and references to enslavement.

Relaxed Performances at LAMDA

• You are welcome to come and go from the theatre as you need • There is a break-out room available, the student common room • House lighting is on low throughout, never going to full black-out • Loud noises are reduced in sound level • No strobe lighting is used • You are welcome to react to the show however you may need • At the end of this document is a show synopsis/sensory guide

Here is a guide to sensory information symbols in this document:

Indicates potentially loud or sudden noises

Indicates bright or sudden lighting changes

Indicates a sad or potentially distressing scene

Indicates fighting, or use of guns/weapons

Arriving at LAMDA

When you arrive at LAMDA, the entrance to the building and Linbury Theatre is the closest entrance to Baron’s Court Station. There will be a member of staff on the door who will take your name and give you a ticket.

Toilets are located right next to the bar.

LAMDA staff will be wearing LAMDA branded T-Shirts or lanyards. If you need any assistance whilst in the building, please ask them.

This is the Theatre Foyer and entrance to the Linbury Theatre. You may be asked to wait here until the house is open.

You will be shown how to get to the Linbury Studio Theatre by an usher.

When you enter the theatre, an Usher will take your ticket from you.

You are welcome to sit where you like.

You can come and go from the space whenever you like. The house lights will stay on low throughout the show.

There is a break-out space called ‘The Common Room’ which you are welcome to use at any point during the performance.

The Common Room is accessed via a corridor that follows on from the bar and the toilets. If you aren’t sure at any point during your visit where to go, please ask an usher, who will be happy to assist you.

If you aren’t sure at any point during your visit where to go, please ask an usher.

Before the show begins, the actors will introduce themselves, the characters they are playing and show any weapons used in the show.

The lights in the theatre will dim and she show will start.

You can come and go as you need through the doors you entered by.

At the end of the show the actors will come on and bow. You are welcome to clap at this point if you would like.

The Gift Company Headshots

Below is a sensory guide for the performance that shows potential distressing actions in the play, split up by scenes At the start and end of each act, there is loud music.

Any fighting scenes in the play have been choreographed with a fight director so that the actors do not hurt each other.

Act 1 towards the start of the play, when Aggie goes offstage, there is a loud sound effect of plates smashing and clattering.

Mrs Waller acts in a peculiar manner and her character throughout is seen as racist. She describes in explicitly graphic language that, in a book that she read, Sarah Bonetta was captured as a child and subject to attacks.

During this, there is tense music playing.

There are references to slavery.

A loud tapping noise comes from the window.

Aggie faints from nerves, but she is not hurt.

INTERVAL You will be asked to leave the theatre during the interval so that the set can be changed for Act 2.

Act 2 There is underlying racism throughout the conversations that happen during this act.

Sarah uses strong language and talks about the explicit and barbaric violence and corruption that happens in some countries in Africa.

We find out that James’ injuries are due to a racially motivated attack by the police.

We find out through Ben that it was Harriet that called the police on James and Sarah. There is an argument where there are accusations and raised voices.

Act 3 There is a shift back in time, which is indicated with loud and intense classical music and the lamps on the wall flash.

Sarah is talking in Sarah Bonetta’s ear as Queen Victoria talks to her. Sarah is trying to make Sarah Bonetta understand that Queen Victoria is not doing good by the people of Africa and that her colonialism is wrong, and that people are being killed because of her.

Sarah Bonetta asks to see how to use the spear. Queen Victoria holds it and pretends to stab and throw it in the air. Queen Victoria then roars and runs at Sarah Bonetta with the spear.

Sarah Bonetta is scared as this seemed to be serious, but Queen Victoria laughs about it, and then undermines the weapon. Sarah Bonetta is getting upset.

Sarah tells Sarah Bonetta about the horrible things that Queen Victoria wrote about her.

Sarah Bonetta grabs the spear and threatens Sarah. She is very distressed. Queen Victoria uses racist and cruel language about Sarah Bonetta’s child. Sarah Bonetta gets extremely angry, and lunges at Queen Victoria with the spear and stabs her with it. Queen Victoria falls to the floor and dies.

THE END