The Manyardville Open-Air Festival’s All-Access Programme helped make Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ more accessible to the hard-of-hearing and deaf community:
South Africa (28 February 2025) — This year, the Maynardville Open-Air Festival did some things differently to make sure that their production of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ would come to life in a new and more accessible way for the hard-of-hearing community!
An initiative dubbed the ‘All-Access Programme’ was created specifically with this audience in mind in an effort that’s been praised as ‘ground-breaking’.
Through the combined efforts of SASLi, JazzHands, SocioGo, and VR Theatrical, the festival introduced professional South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreters, Deaf interpreters, and a loop system for hearing aid users to set a new standard for accessibility in local theatre.
The initiative was well-received by audiences and artists alike.
“I’ve been to many shows with full SASL interpreting, but [ the production on 19 February] felt truly inclusive,” said Jabaar Cassiem Mohamed, DeafS Western Cape Provincial Director and TV Presenter on Accessibility With Jabaar TV Show.
“I could easily see the SASL interpreter, freely watch the artists, and fully absorb the incredible atmosphere. It was a powerful experience—true accessibility makes all the difference!”
Another audience member echoed these sentiments:
“I truly felt fully included. I could clearly see both the SASL and Deaf interpreters from where I was seated, allowing me to comfortably watch the artists perform and immerse myself in the incredible atmosphere. The loop system for hearing aid users was also a game-changer. Let’s all make this the norm!”
For many, the initiative helped deepen the theatrical experience and offered an example of what more accessible theatre should look like.
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