Annual Report for (N.1.) Slghtllnes 2023-2024
Sightlines is a registered charity, run by volunteers, that make5 theatre accessible to blind
people by describing the visual element of theatre, includin8 Costumes, sets and props, to
blind and visually impaired audience members. The process entails preparlng programme
notes which describe the set and scenery of the play, the characters. physlcal attributes and
their costumes. These notes are provided in advance, in the chosen accessible format. to
blind audience members. Meantime, the descrlbers prepare a script which details the
physical element of the produrtlon, including such essentials as arrivals on and off the stage,
the visual component of humour, the major moves and actions. This has to be delivered
between the lines of dlalogue so that the bllnd people do not miss any of the spoken lines. It
is dellvered remotely, via a headset, into the ear of the blind person and enables them to
respond to Visual information at the same tlme as the malnstream audience. If a laugh is
dependent on physical gestures or faclal expressions the blind people laugh at the same
time as the rest of the audience. Sightllnes a150 descrlbes exhibltions, art works, carnivals
and tours for bllnd people, translating visual signlficance into verbal impressions.
Nlslghtllnes was once more indebted to the Dean's Sltout for a generous grant whlch
enabled it to maintain Its website. Additlonally, thanks to thi5 fundin8 an online trainln8
programme was devlsed and delivered by the volunteer co-ordinator. This trainlng
programme Is now available for the purpose of training others. As a result, four new
describers, two of whom are based in Derryl were tralned and began to take on audlo
descriptlon work.
From Aprll 2023 to March 2024 the followlng shows and artivlties were descrlbed.
At the Grand Opera House 13 shows in total were audio described: The Ocean at the End of
The Lane; SIX. Sponge Bob the Muslcal; The Klng and I; Dlrty Danclng; Tosca. Bodyguard;
42 Street; A Ghost Story; Snow White. The Full Monty. The Drifters Glrl; Llfe of Pi; The
Mousetrap. The Lyrlc Theatre arranged for seven of its productions to be audio descrlbed.
They were: Agreement (descrlbed again almost a year later) The Beauty Queen of Leenane;
Burnt Out; Hansel and Gretel; Have Yourself a Very Speclal Chrlstmas; Little Women and the
repeat of Agreement. In additlon the Metropolltan Arts Centre (MAC) had their Christmas
show, The Ni8ht Before Chrlstmas descrlbed and two newly tralned audio describers were
employed to describe the pantomlme at the Millennlum Forum In Derry.
As part of Belfast city Council's incluslve tourlsm Inltiative N.1. Sightllnes provided audlo
descriptlon of a major conference which took place in the Titanic Building. They also
reviewed the fllm whlch was developed to market Belfast as an inclusive city for tourists
ensuring that the script produced carried enough vlsual information for blind people. A tour
of varlous clty venues wlth a bllnd patron was also undertaken. These were: a hotel; St.
George's Market; the Museum and the Tropical Ravine. The Arts and Buslne55 Award
ceremony at the Lyric Theatre was also audio described in its entirety.
2023 to 2024 was another busy year for N.1. Sightlines
Signed:
Date:
Volunteer Co*ordinator