Accessibility

For needs on-site, suggestions related to improvement as well as clues on barriers, please contact:

Paulina Seyfried - Contact for Questions on Accessibility
Mobile +49 176 587 685 11(also available via WhatsApp / Telegram / Signal)
Landline +49 511 9999 2509
Mail barrierefreiheit@theaterformen.de

Since 2021, the Festival Theaterformen wants to become more accessible – a plan that should not really be worth mentioning, but a given. However, since these are new offerings for the majority of our audience, we would like to briefly present our plans. 

From autumn 2020 to 2022, the disabled experts Noa Winter and Sophia Neises advised us. This accompaniment of the process took place in cooperation with Schauspiel Hannover and Staatstheater Braunschweig. Winter and Neises have given sensibilisation workshops on Ableism* Critique and Accessibility for our teams as well as for the box office and admission staff and have conducted a comprehensive structural inventory of our venues in Hanover and Braunschweig. This has resulted in a manual that not only documents the current state in detail but also outlines short-term and long-term improvement options for the future, which we are addressing together with the State Theaters. Since 2023, Xenia Dürr has been advising us on the topic of audism**(criticism) and offers awareness-raising workshops with this focus. 

A first result of this process is our accessible website, which includes detailed information about the venues, such as the dimensions of elevators and doors, access to accessible restrooms, and information about sensory stimuli, content notes and audience requirements for each play. Information about the festival program will also be made available in German Sign Language via video.

In addition, we have developed new services for audiences with different disabilities and needs: for example, we offer audio descriptions with tactile tours for selected performances to make the festival accessible for blind and visually impaired audiences. Since 2022, we have been offering interpretation into German spoken and sign language for Deaf*** people for selected performances. We also offer Relaxed Performances for neurodivergent audiences (e.g. autistic people) who are often excluded from the usual theatre etiquette in performance spaces (sitting still in the dark, behaving quietly). In all venues, there are beanbags as alternative seating options (e.g. for audience members with chronic pain), which, like the wheelchair seats, can be easily booked via the Staatstheater ticket store. We try to offer wheelchair seating in the front seating areas.

We are aware that at the moment we are not yet able to offer services for all accessibility needs. This is just the beginning of a long-term process. We invite you to join us on this journey!

The information on the 2023 Festival edition will be updated continuously. Information about the festival program will also be provided in German Sign Language (DGS).

* Ableism means Disabled People are marginalized or excluded. More information via the following link: Diversity Arts Culture

** Audism means Deaf people are marginalized or excluded. More information via the following link: Diversity Arts Culture

*** Deaf is a positive self-designation of non-hearing people, regardless of whether they are deaf, partially Deaf or hard of hearing. More information via the following link: Diversity Arts Culture

Note: You can find all DGS videos with English subtitles here.

Interpreters for German spoken and sign language (DGS) To Go will be on site at the festival centre on some dates and can be called upon spontaneously. They help Deaf and hearing festival audiences to get in touch with each other. If you feel like talking, simply speak to the interpreters. This is possible on the following dates:

Thu 22.06. 6 – 11 pm 
Fri 23.06. 5:30 – 11 pm
Sat 24.06 7 – 11 pm
Sun 25.06 3 – 10 pm  
Fri 30.06. 5 – 11 pm 
Sat 01.07. 5 – 11 pm  

This offer is also valid before and after the performances of Scored in Silence (Sat 24.06. 7 – 11 pm and Sun 25.06. 3 – 10 pm) and SPIN (Fri 30.06. and Sat 01.07. 5 – 11 pm).

In 2023, interpreters for German spoken and sign language will be on site for selected events. For interpretation, we work together with deaf and hearing teams.

Thu 22.06. 6:30 pm
The opening speech in the festival centre will be held in German spoken language, German sign language (DGS) and British Sign Language (BSL). The contributions will be interpreted into English and German spoken language as well as into German and British Sign Language (DGS, BSL). You can find the exact list here.

Fr 23.06. 6 – 7 pm 
The Talk with The DisOrdinary Architecture Projectwill be interpreted from British Sign Language (BSL) into Spoken English and and German Sign Language (DGS).

Sat 24.06. 9:15 – 10 pm
The aftertalk to Scored in Silence with Chisato Minamimura and Rita Mazza will be interpreted from British Sign Language (BSL) and German Sign Language (DGS) into Spoken English.

Sun 25.06. 6 – 7 pm
The performance ZER-BRECH-LICH by Alessandro Schiattarella at Ballhof Eins will be interpreted into German Sign Language (DGS).
Note: The previously announced translation into German Sign Language (DGS) on Sun 25.06. can not be provided.

Sat 01.07 11 am – 1 pm 
The OPEN STUDIO mit Rita Mazzawill be interpreted from International Sign into German Sign Language (DGS) and Spoken German.

Note: The previously announced audio description with tactile tour for Never Twenty One can not be provided.

Audio descriptions make theater performances accessible for blind and visually impaired people. In the audio description during the performance, the events on stage are described. This gives blind and visually impaired people access to the visual elements of a play, including movement, gestures, facial expressions, stage design, costumes and props. Before the performance, there is also a tactile tour. During a tactile tour, blind and visually impaired people can adequately perceive the stage space. The objects in the space are first described in detail and with precision. Then the participants can touch them one after the other.

Since some productions are still in the process of development, this page will be continuously updated. 

Following performances take place with integrated audio description in Spoken English with translation into Spoken German and with tactile tour:

Fr 23.06. 7:30 pm - 8:30pm
Sat 24.06. 6 pm - 7 pm
Sun 25.06. 6 pm - 7 pm
ZER-BRECH-LICH
Alessandro Schiattarella
Ballhof Eins

The tactile tour begins 30 min before each performance and has a duration of max. 15 min. The meeting point is to the left of the entrance of the Ballhof Eins foyer.

For further information, please contact us at:

Mobile +49 176 587 685 11 (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp)
Landline +49 511 9999 2509
E-Mail barrierefreiheit@theaterformen.de 

Guide dogs are allowed to accompany you, of course. We kindly ask you to announce this when buying your tickets, so that we can provide you with suitable seats.

On this page we provide information on the expectations that might be placed on the audience during the performance. In addition, we highlight various acoustic, visual, olfactory, gustatory and haptic triggers that may be sensory triggers for people. Transparent communication in this regard allows potential attendees to decide themselves whether a performance is accessible for them. There is ear protection available at each venue’s box office, if required.

If not explicitly described otherwise, the following theatre rules will apply during attendance at the performance: attendees must conduct themselves quietly during the performances and remain seated throughout.

If necessary, hearing protection is available at the box office of the respective venue.

Because some of the productions are still being developed, this page will be continually updated and supplemented if necessary.

Thank You Very Much
At the beginning, it is completely dark. Only the floor of the platform on which the performer is standing is illuminated at one spot. She stands on a grid of white LEDs that turn on as soon as they are touched. It is predominantly dark and only spotlights illuminate individual parts of the stage. In addition, there are increased light changes. Towards the end of the piece, a mirror with light bulbs is opened in the direction of the audience, which can dazzle. In one scene, there is an abrupt change from warm, dim and relatively bright light to almost complete darkness with some blue backlighting.
At one point, it's completely dark for a few seconds.
Voice recordings from a tape run through the piece. It begins with loud electronic music, with rhythmic pops and taps. Some of the sounds are distorted. Snapping can also be heard. As soon as the retro microphone is used, it rustles and rushes. Breathing can be heard amplified. 
In one scene, the performers use rhythmic breathing sounds for several minutes to accompany their movements. 
Singing is an essential part of the piece. The performers briefly join in shrill, loud polyphonic whistling. At the end of the piece, the group performs strong twitching, choppy and accelerating dance movements ("shaking") to the music. 
There is direct interaction with the audience, some of which invites physical activity. All interaction is voluntary. 

FIQ! (Wake up!)
The stage is evenly illuminated. At first, there are few, sometimes abrupt light changes. These increase towards the end and colorful lights are added. At the end of the piece, there are strong, rapid light changes and flashes of light in strobe-like frequency. In the first few minutes of the piece, it goes completely dark for a few seconds.
This is an acrobatic performance, with people flying through the air and doing flips without a safety catch. At one point, a person falls to the ground seemingly uncontrollably. 
Throughout the piece, fast and loud music keeps playing with different elements such as tinny drums, distorted sounds, scratching or ringing. Music played backwards with abrupt stops also appears increasingly as a stylistic device. Other sound elements such as whistling, a very loud "Tusch" or loudly recorded scratching of a pen on paper are also used.
The performers sing, clap, and shout throughout the piece. There are also scenes where they shout in confusion. 
Different projections are used throughout the piece. There are sometimes up to three projections on stage at the same time. While these have quick changes at the beginning, in the course of the piece live transmissions from the performers' cell phone cameras are increasingly used. 
In two scenes, a motorcycle is on stage, accompanied by the smell of gasoline and the sound of engines. 
One scene starts with loud breathing into the microphone, then it seems as if a person is being pulled up several meters by his neck. 
The audience is addressed directly at one point.

The Power (of) The Fragile
The stage and the auditorium are brightly lit at the beginning. No music plays for the first few minutes. Throughout the piece, music suddenly starts again and again. Throughout the piece there are isolated changes of light, which become more frequent towards the end. 
During the piece, loud music of different genres starts again and again. For example, classical music, which is sometimes very shrill. Towards the end, music is increasingly overlaid, in one scene with animal sounds, in another two musical styles are superimposed. Here, the intensity and speed is steadily increased.
The performance contains isolated acrobatic elements, for example a headstand.
In one scene, a somber mood is created by music. During this scene, the performer sits on the performer's lap, while she takes off his T-shirt. Afterwards, he falls to the unsprung floor from about 50cm height.
Towards the end of the piece it is almost completely dark for about 3 minutes. Afterwards, fog is used and a stroboscope is applied for about 1 minute.

Scored in Silence
The room is very dark so that the projection is easy to see. Vibrating belts are placed on the seats, which visitors can voluntarily put on and which emit vibrations during the performance. The performer stands in front of a black wall onto which moving graphics, images and videos are projected. Projection and performance overlap. Sometimes there is soft background music, sometimes overlaid with sounds such as typing, beeping from hospital equipment, or buzzing. For about a minute, there is loud noise. In one scene, airplane noises that increase in volume are played. Later, there is a projection of black flakes trickling down on a white background. This so-called "black rain" is faded in again at the end of the piece. In one scene it seems as if the performer is being hit three times by oversized hands, which in the video bang on a table.

Belt dimensions: 60-100 cm without stretch, up to 136 cm full stretch

Never Twenty One
Except for flashlights that shine into the audience and blind them, the room is completely dark. The performers move with the flashlights and move the light cones quickly, so that it sometimes seems as if the light is flickering. Over a period of about 4 minutes, the room is completely dark. In the last 12 minutes of the piece, increased use of a strobe in varying intensity for several minutes.

Bass-heavy and atmospheric music creates a threatening mood. The vibration is clearly felt through the seats. The music increases in one scene and becomes a kind of loud, polyphonic humming. The music is repeatedly accompanied by loud noises like clacking, clicking and knocking, these are partly distorted. There are isolated instances of loud, high-pitched beeping. 

In one scene, loud traffic sounds such as moving cars and horns are played from tape. At another point, loud screams are played.

است (Is)
The stage is well lit at the beginning. There are occasional light changes that are not abrupt.
There is no background music. Throughout the play, there are repeated jumbled shouts, especially at the beginning. Loud screams are also incorporated in between. With the volume of the voices, a wave-like dynamic between very loud and quiet is built up over several minutes. The actresses throw props in one scene and then bang them on the tables. There is a choreographed spot where the ensemble moves paper together, resulting in about a minute of heavy rustling of paper. 

APHASIA
The space is almost completely dark throughout the performance. Live music is played, among other things, with many repetitive elements. Old, flickering, choppy-looking black and white footage is projected onto three screens and a projection. The shots have image defects typical of old films, such as bright and dark spots. In some cases, the recordings are speeded up. At a later point, a bright pulsating graphic is projected. 
While electronic, bass-heavy music is played and spoken, voice distortion, delay and echo are used. In addition, many sounds are used such as knocks, clicks, squeaks and beeps. Over a part of about a minute, the performer loudly imitates with echo sounds such as gunshots and sirens. Chants are used as stylistic devices. Dazzling spotlights are used in the dance performance. Towards the end, red light and fog are used. A stroboscope is also used sporadically.  

Resistencia
The dance floor is illuminated with colorful pulsating lights and spots. The performers have flashlights in their hands with which they dazzle the audience. Electronic rhythmic music is played over which the performers form chants with repetitive phrases. 

The Making of Pinocchio
The play starts with a lit stage. On the stage is a large screen on which major parts of the play take place. Since live filming is taking place and the piece is being performed at the same time, we see the action from different angles. After a lighting change to a dark stage with scattered blue spotlights, a voice distorter is used for several minutes. One of the portable cameras has bright lights, which can blind the audience. 
At one point a loud chainsaw noise is suddenly played. The loud, atmospheric music makes it difficult to follow the spoken words of the performers. In one scene a loud wind machine is used while the performers shout loudly.

During about 10 minutes of explicit, artistically translated sex, both performers imitate loud and shrill squeaking noises. In addition, the background music increases and echo effects are also used. This is followed by loud noise. At the end of the piece it is completely dark for a few moments. 

ZER-BRECH-LICH
The objects on stage are alternately illuminated in red for about three minutes, creating a flickering effect. Use of creepy music with strong bass and regular metallic knocking, clacking and creaking for several minutes. For several seconds: Rustling and scratching sounds. The performers use platforms on rollers to move across the stage. Noises are created in the process. There is a loud click when the brakes are applied.

Repeated use of fog. In several scenes black light is used so that only accessories glow in neon colours.

One scene increases with echo, loud screaming of the performers and electronic music increasing in volume for about three minutes while they move the neon accessories in the black light regularly (crutch is turned in a circle). One person runs very fast in a circle across the stage and at the end against a wall made of foam stones, which falls over with the person. The person then lies motionless on the floor for several minutes. The scene ends with the sudden switching on of the light.

Complete darkness for about one minute. The live projection has partial disturbances, such as image errors and flickering. A ring light that is moved can blind the audience. At one point translation and performance overlap. The bursting of a balloon causes a loud bang. 

Was ihr nicht sehen könnt – Eine Vampirgeschichte
The play repeatedly uses loud to very loud music and echo effects from offstage. The actors use their voices and imitate body sounds to create a creepy atmosphere. For example, they breathe loudly into the microphone, groan (painfully), snort or choke. In one scene, all the actors scream very loudly into the microphone at the same time for about two minutes. Some of the voices are distorted. The music is very powerful and bass-heavy, sometimes shrill and squeaky. At one point the floor vibrates for about a minute. There is a scene with live music.

During one scene, an actor walks across the stage with loud noises accompanied by choppy movements until he collapses. An actor spins around the edge of the stage with an open toolbox in his hand repeatedly very fast. This toolbox is dropped at another point with a loud bang.

The audience is increasingly addressed directly and asked to raise their hands at the end of the play.

The play starts in a dark atmosphere with red lighting. In the course of the play there is a sudden change of light to a dark stage with a spotlight, once spotlights dazzle the audience. At the end of the play, the stage is completely dark except for a projection. In two places, spotlights directed directly into the audience can dazzle. In the upper part of the stage, fog is used lightly.

SPIN
During the whole performance, there is an explicit call to participate. There is only occasional seating. Fast movements are performed with the whole body while standing and also overhead and bent over. At one point there is an invitation to touch the hands. At the end, movements are performed on the floor. 

At the beginning, the room is dark except for a few red lights. For a short period of time, a flickering projection with fast cuts is played. The performance is very light-intensive. Flickering strobe-like lights are used throughout the piece. A stroboscope is used for about 6 minutes. A disco ball is illuminated and throws moving points of light in circles into the room, which can dazzle the audience.

For about 5 minutes bass-heavy, pulsating and loud sounds reminiscent of heart palpitations. Very loud electronic music with loud bass that makes the floor vibrate is used. Live music with drums.

On this page, we point out different harmful content that can be potentially triggering. A transparent communication about this allows potential visitors to decide for themselves whether a performance is suitable an accessible for them. 

We are aware that some content without content notes can make people feel unsafe, as this content can be offensive, disturbing, stressful or even retraumatizing.

However, because there is a very wide range of potential triggers and it is not always possible to think about and include all of them, we would like to offer our audience the opportunity to check with us in advance about specific triggers.

We encourage you to reach out to us and ask if specific triggering content will be addressed, shown, or performed in any of our performances. All you need to do is send us a short e-mail, which does not require any special wording and may even consist of just a question.

Please understand, however, that it will not always be possible to provide information on all pieces and performances, as some of them are still in the process of development until the festival. However, we will make every effort to follow up on all inquiries as far as we are able.

Thank You Very Much
Narration of experiences of ableism and descriptions from the hospital. Brief discussion of cultural appropriation of white people. Binary gender stereotypes are addressed. 

FIQ! (Wake up!)
Addresses capitalism and poverty. Right to abortion addressed only in binary context. Mention of Lockdown and Covid. 

The Power (of) The Fragile
Portrayal of death. Mention of Covid and the Lockdown. Addressing classism and sexism. Migration and problems getting visas. Criticism of immigration policy and accompanying social inequality. Close physical contact of the two performers. Partial nudity. 
In addition, patriarchal structures play a role in terms of the possibilities of personal development.

Scored in Silence
The piece is about war and atomic bombs, the context being the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. There are explicit descriptions of death and corpses. Audism, Ableism and forced sterilization are addressed by those affected.

Never Twenty One
Explicit narratives and depictions of racial murder and gun violence. Performers have bare torsos. Associative space is the hashtag #never21. 

است (Is)
The production questions the Iranian education system. Control is exerted over female students, for example, by increasingly searching their bags, and there is also talk of surveillance. Bullying dynamics are portrayed. Queer hostility is reproduced by naming a close relationship between two female roles as inappropriate.

APHASIA
Explicit descriptions of physical violence. Narratives of war, gun violence, and murder. Depiction of dropping bombs. Relativization of sexualized violence is rendered. People in the projections wear masks that cover their entire face. Naked bodies and penises are seen in the projections.

Resistencia
The work deals with oppression and patriarchy, as well as sexualized violence.

Resistencia Workshop
Addressing violence, including institutional and structural violence against marginalised people, direct physical contact with the other participants, lots of movement, e.g. jumping, arm circles.

The Making of Pinocchio
Huge projection of a close-up of an insect. Addressing transphobia and the misrepresentation of trans* people's bodies. Full nudity and scars on stage and breasts on video. Explicit depiction and partial representation of a BDSM sex fantasy. Additionally, explicit, artistically translated depiction of penetration over several minutes in another scene.

ZER-BRECH-LICH
Dealing with Ableism. In the context of this, at one point briefly reproduction of Ableism to show it.

Was ihr nicht sehen könnt – Eine Vampirgeschichte
Ableism and cripping up.
Derogatory imitation of disability, imitation of spasticity and imitation of a seizure. Specific descriptions of pain and medical gaslighting. Increased enumeration of symptoms of chronic illnesses. Thematisation of passing experiences. Extensive discussion of death, description of being buried alive. Mention of racism and sexism and distinction between healthy and sick bodies. Use of fake blood. 

Mobile +49 176 587 685 11 (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp)
Landline +49 511 9999 2509
E-Mail barrierefreiheit@theaterformen.de

As part of the Festival Theaterformen, alternative seating in the form of beanbags will be installed for all performances as well as in the Festival Center (for example, for audience members with chronic pain). These seats can be booked in advance as "beanbag seats".

For the majority of our international guest performances we offer surtitles. This means that all the languages used in the play are projected simultaneously in written form for reading along.

Generally, we offer German surtitles, but if the guest performance is in a language other than English, it will also be surtitled as well in English.

Here is an overview of all performances with subtitles: 

Thu 22/06 8 pm
Fri 23/06 7 pm
Was ihr nicht sehen könnt – Eine Vampirgeschichte
Manuela Infante
Schauspielhaus

Fri 23/06 9 pm
Sat 24/06 8 pm
The Power (of) The Fragile
Mohamed Toukabri
Cumberlandsche Bühne

Sat 24/06 8 pm
Sun 25/06 4 pm und 8 pm
Scored in Silence
Chisato Minamimura 
Ballhof Zwei

Thu 29/06 7:30 pm
Fri 30/06 7:30 pm
است (Is)
Parnia Shams
Ballhof Zwei

Sat 01/07 8 pm
Sun 02/07 5 pm
FIQ! (Wake up!)
Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger & Maroussia Diaz Verbèke
Schauspielhaus

Fri 23/06 9 pm
Sat 24/06 8 pm
The Power (of) The Fragile
Mohamed Toukabri
Cumberlandsche Bühne

Sat 24/06 8 pm
Sun 25/06 4 pm and 8 pm
Scored in Silence 
Chisato Minamimura 
Ballhof Zwei

Mon 26/06 7 pm
Tue 27/06 7 pm
APHASIA
Jelena Jureša 
Cumberland Stage

Wed 28/06 7 pm
Thu 29/06 7 pm
Thank You Very Much
Claire Cunningham
Schauspielhaus 

Thu 29/06 19:30 Uhr
Fri 30/06 7:30 pm
است (Is)
Parnia Shams
Ballhof Zwei

Sat 01/07 7 pm
Sun 02/07 7 pm
The Making of Pinocchio
Cade & MacAskill
Ballhof Eins

Sat 01/07 8 pm
Sun 02/07 5 pm
FIQ! (Wake up!)
Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger & Maroussia Diaz Verbèke
Schauspielhaus

This year, we are taking part in the project "Kulturschlüssel Niedersachsen" as a cultural donor. The Kulturschlüssel arranges for people who can not, or do not want, to participate in cultural events on their own due to a disability, volunteers who accompany them before, during and after the desired event.

For this year's edition of the Festival Theaterformen, we are providing a contingent of tickets for this purpose (one reduced ticket per event and one free ticket for the accompanying person).

For more information, please click on the following link: Kulturschlüssel Niedersachsen