A digital theatre production is where the play is recorded live and then distributed online, like a ‘film’ of the theatre performance. The addition of captions means that these productions are accessible to Deaf and hearing impaired people around the world. This is part of the push to provide a different form of physical access when a person cannot attend the performance at the venue. It also means that the performance is available multiple times and can be watched when the viewer chooses.
“For people with disabilities digital access can be the only way that they can access performances such as this, either through geographic or physical limitations (in the case of somebody with a physical disability that makes travel difficult),” commented Media Access Australia CEO Alex Varley.
“The next step has been taken by Stagetext in that it is making these performances accessible through captioning and because it is an online digital product, this can be accessed anywhere in the world.”
To access the service you will need to register with Digital Theatre. Content can be rented for one month or bought in either standard or high definition. The productions can then be watched online with captions. Digital Theatre is also working to bring the caption facility to its other methods of viewing, via the Digital Theatre desktop player, the Digital Theatre app for iPhone, iPad or iTouch, or streamed direct to Samsung Smart TVs.
The first six productions with captions from some of England’s finest theatre companies are Much Ado About Nothing, Long Day’s Journey into Night, A Doll’s House, Ghosts, Far from the Madding Crowd and Into the Woods.
For more information on the service and to download performances visit the Digital Theatre website.
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