Curve Relaxed Performance Information Pack | The Lion Inside
Hello!
We are looking forward to welcoming you to Curve for our Relaxed Performance of The Lion Inside. We hope you are excited to see the show!
This pack is designed to give you a bit more information about the performance and our theatre ahead of your visit.
What is a Relaxed Performance?
Relaxed Performances are open to everyone but are especially tailored to support audiences who may benefit from a more relaxed performance environment. This may include children, young people and adults with neurodivergence, such as autism, learning difficulties and other sensory or communication needs.
Throughout the performance the lights will remain on, and whilst the Studio Theatre doors will be closed, audience members will be able to come and go from the space if they need a break from the performance. There is also a relaxed attitude to noise during the show, and the sound and lighting will be adapted to more comfortable levels.
Our address is Curve, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB.
Here is a map of where Curve is in the Cultural Quarter, and the surrounding area.
Getting here by Car
There are a number of car parks close to Curve, with the multi-storey NCP Rutland Centre Car Park being the closest to our theatre. Customers are advised that none of the car parks detailed on this page are owned or managed by Curve or Leicester Theatre Trust Ltd.
NCP Rutland Centre Car Park (Multi-storey)
56 Halford Street, Leicester, LE1 1TQ
Access Spaces: 7 | Max Height: 1.93m
Curve visitors can park in the NCP Rutland Centre adjacent to Curve for £7.95 when validated at Box Office, Green Room Café or Stage Door Bar during your visit.
If parking at NCP Rutland Centre between the hours of 5pm and 2am, you can access a cheaper rate of £6.95 if you pay via the NCP ParkPass App, or £7.95 if you pay your parking at the machines located in the NCP on the day.
Southampton Street
Leicester, LE1 1TG
Access Spaces: 4
Hourly charges from £1*
NCP Lee Circle Car Park
Leicester, LE1 3RE
Access Spaces: 4 | Max Height: 1.93m
Hourly charges from £1.95*
Dover Street
Leicester, LE1 6PW
Access Spaces: 14 | Max Height 1.98m
Hourly charges from £1*
Haymarket
Leicester, LE1 3HP
Access Spaces: 5
Hourly charges from £1*
Newarke Street
Leicester, LE1 5SN
Access Spaces: 1
Hourly charges from £1*
Highcross John Lewis Car Park
Leicester, LE1 4QJ
Access Spaces: 109 | Family Spaces:
56 | Max Height, 1.98m
Hourly charges from £3.50*, plus flat evening rate of £2.50* between 5pm and 6am.
There is also a drop-off point outside our theatre. *Prices subject to change.
Due to building work being currently being undertaken at Curve, a number of roads in the area are closed. Please see the map below for details of affected roads.
Getting here by Bus
All Leicestershire bus services have stops within a three to 10-minute walk of Curve, with services terminating on Humberstone Gate, Haymarket Bus Station or St Margaret’s Bus Station.
For more information about travelling by bus in the city, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/travelling-by-bus, or call Traveline on 0871 200 2233.
Getting here by Train
Leicester Train Station is less than a 10-minute walk away via Charles Street. For the latest service information, please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Visual Story: Your Visit to Curve
Curve is a large, round building with a glass front, as shown below. There are two main entrances into Curve – one on Halford Street, and another on Rutland Street.
The outside of Curve looks like this:
Halford Street Entrance Rutland Street Entrance what3words: ///wide.wiping.dared what3words: ///driver.other.ideal
While building work is being undertaken at Curve, a fenced area has been created outside on Orton Square.
Access to our entrances is via two tunnel-like structures, shown overleaf.
Our Halford Street entrance is close to our Green Room Café. The ‘tunnel’ and doors are shown below.
Our Rutland Street entrance is close to our Box Office. The ‘tunnel’ and doors are shown below.
Both entrances have a set of glass double doors, which will open outwards automatically as you move towards them.
There is level access into the building from both entrances.
When you enter the building, you will be in the Foyer. Our Foyer is one big circle which wraps around two of our performance spaces – the Theatre and the Studio Theatre.
As you make your way around the Foyer, you will notice lots of large pictures on the big red walls. This is our production gallery, and features pictures from our previous productions.
There are also large digital screens displaying upcoming shows and events throughout the building.
A number of automatic hand sanitiser points are available around the Foyer. To use these points, simply hold your hand beneath the dispenser.
Push dispensers are also available around the building.
Before the show, there will be some loud announcements in the Foyer telling you how long it is until the show begins, and other useful information about your visit.
It may also be noisy in the Foyer as other audience members will be arriving to see the show. You might like to cover your ears or wear a pair of ear defenders during this time. There are ear defenders available at Reception, if you would like to borrow some or do not have your own.
On the day of your visit, our free An Indian Summer Community Day – in partnership with Inspirate – will also be taking place across our Foyer and Mezzanine spaces. For more information about performances and activities throughout the day, please visit https://www.curveonline.co.uk/getinvolved/community-days/
In the Foyer inside the Rutland Street doors, you will find our Box Office.
Car parking tickets for cars parked in the NCP Rutland Centre Multistorey Car Park next door to Curve can be validated at the Box Office for £7.95. Ticket enquiries for this performance and future shows at Curve can also be made here.
In the Foyer you will also find our Green Room Café.
Here you can buy a drink, snack or ice cream to enjoy before the performance.
There may be a small queue at the Café.
If you need to use the toilet before you take your seats, there are male, female and accessible toilets near the Green Room Café and Box Office. There are also gender-neutral toilets on the Mezzanine floor. The hand dryers in the toilets will be switched off, and paper towels will be provided.
There is a Changing Places Facility with adult hoist on the Ground Floor next to Theatre Door 4. Please note you will need to bring your own hoist straps to use this facility.
You will be watching The Lion Inside in our Studio Theatre, which has red seating as shown in the picture below.
This is where you will sit to watch the performance.
Your ticket will tell you which door to enter through – Studio Theatre Door 1 or 6 - and where to sit, based on a row letter and seat number.
A member of our Visitor Experience Team can help you find the right door and your seat by looking at the letters and numbers on your ticket.
They will be wearing black shirts and/or fleeces with a colourful Curve logo.
We are planning to open the Studio Theatre doors at 12.45pm, so you can settle into the space.
When you enter the Studio Theatre, the lights will be on and it may be noisy as the audience will be getting ready to watch the show. You might like to cover your ears or wear your ear defenders to soften the noise and bring a comforter to use before the performance starts.
To access most rows in the Studio Theatre, you will need to take a number of steps.
When entering at the Stage Level via Studio Theatre Doors 1 or 6, there are 28 steps from the stage to Row P at the back of the theatre, with two steps between each row.
You will need to pull the bottom of your seat down to sit on it.
Booster seats are available if you can’t see the stage comfortably, and a member of our Visitor Experience Team can get one for you.
They will also be happy to help you with anything else you may need to enjoy the performance.
When the show is about to start, the lights in the Studio Theatre will be dimmed but it will never go completely dark.
The doors of the Studio Theatre will remain open, so you can leave the space at any time and return when you’re ready.
If you would like a break from the performance, you can visit our chill out space in Rehearsal Room 1 on the Mezzanine (Level M). You will need to take the stairs between Studio Theatre Doors 5 and 6 to access the Mezzanine, and a member of our Visitor Experience Team can help you find it.
When the show has finished, the cast will come back onto the stage and bow. The audience will clap to show the cast they enjoyed the performance, and the lights will get brighter. It may be quite loud during this moment.
The Lion Inside is based on the book of the same name by authors, Rachel Bright and Jim Field. You might have read this at home!
The running time for The Lion Inside is 60 minutes with no interval, meaning there isn’t a break in the middle.
The performance is recommended for children aged 3+ but all ages are welcome.
There will be different lighting throughout the show, with some moments in bright lighting and others in darker lighting. The house lights will dim and remain dimly lit throughout the performance. During the moments the audience will be asked to join in, the lights may become brighter so the characters can see you!
Below is a summary of the story, which means we tell you what will happen during the show. This might be helpful to know before you come to the theatre, but if you want the story to be a surprise, skip to page 25.
If you do not want to read the full story but would like to see the key sensory moments during the show, please see the green boxes.
As the show begins, a Story Teller comes onto the stage from the left with a cricket puppet. The animals in this show are all puppets that are brought to life by three actors. The cricket jumps across the stage.
Music plays ♫ and two more Story Tellers come onto stage, one from the left and another from the right, waving to the audience. They sing a song about listening to the different sounds animals make.
There are animal noises throughout this song, made by the Story Tellers and recorded sound effects. The Story Tellers show which animal is making each noise using different puppets.
When the song ends, there’s a loud growl. The Story Tellers scatter across the stage.
They talk to the audience about Craggy Rock and introduce a very small Mouse in his house. The lights dim a little, as the Story Tellers ask the audience if they spotted Mouse. It might get loud during this part. Music plays ♫ and the stage darkens more as the Story Tellers spin the house round to reveal Mouse's living room.
Mouse speaks to the audience and then to his plant, which he waters as he talks. Then, he sits in his chair.
He walks across to his teapot, asking the plant if it wants a cup of tea too. Mouse pours the tea and continues talking to himself, blowing on the tea to cool it. He speaks to the plant about how it's a lovely day, before spotting Mrs Hippo out the window and calling to her, but she doesn't respond!
Mouse goes across the stage and dusts the bookcase. He says sorry to the spider he swept the cobwebs of. He picks up a book to read but decides to go outside, jumping to the front of the stage and then carried off by the actor.
The lights dim as two Story Tellers spin mouse's house round. ♫ Music plays and the lights get brighter.
Mouse jumps down the stairs and scurries to the watering hole as music plays. ♫
The other Story Tellers run with zebra legs. The zebras move across stage and talk to each other. They accidentally kick Mouse, but don't worry, he isn't hurt. Mouse moves out of the way so he can't be kicked again.
Mouse approaches the zebras and says hello. They can't hear him, so he climbs up one of the zebras, but she moves - and Mouse jumps off her! Then, the other zebra accidentally steps on Mouse's tail! They say goodbye and run off left and right. Music plays. ♫
Mouse is alone on stage and speaks to himself. He blows on his tail to make it better. Tense music plays as the lights flicker. ♫
Mouse climbs the steps to get a better look. He sees the elephants are coming. An elephant trumpets!
A Story Teller comes on stage from the left with elephant legs.
Music plays ♫ as she plays hopscotch with the elephant legs. Another Story Teller comes on stage from the left with second pair of elephant legs, before walking across the stage. The Story Teller shouts for his mum and there is the sound of another elephant trumpeting before they play leapfrog. More music plays. ♫
As the elephant lands the lights darken, and Mouse is thrown into the air, flying across the stage. He crashes by the rock, but he is okay.
The elephants play leapfrog again, as music plays ♫ and the lights darken again. Mouse flies across the stage.
The elephants bump fists, before playing tag and then running off stage to the right.
Mouse’s legs feel like jelly but he continues his journey. There is a fart noise!
Mouse wonders what the noise was and scurries across stage. A hippo comes from the left behind him. Mouse asks the audience if there is someone behind him.
It might get loud at this point as the audience responds. Then, the hippo farts!
Mouse spots Mrs Hippo and they both shout. Mrs Hippo farts and a poo drops out of her bottom! Don't worry, it's not a real poo. She poos again. And again!
Mouse runs away, and Mrs Hippo moves off stage to the left.
Mouse smells his tail and says he gets trodden on as he's so small. He decides to go home.
A Story Teller speaks to the audience and clears the poo off-stage. The Story Tellers move steps from the left and the right to the rock at the back of the stage. A lion climbs the steps onto the rock and the lights darken.
Music plays ♫ as the Lion growls. The Lion roars over and over, before singing a song. The lights brighten, and there are other flashing lights throughout his song.
Then, two Story Tellers run onto the stage from the right. They have antelope antlers, and dance behind Lion.
The lights darken during the song and then brighten again, while Lion is on the rock with a bright light on him. Mouse spots Lion on the rock. Lion shows off his claws and there is a sound effect of metal, like a sword being raised!
Lion comes down the steps and chats to the audience. He will ask you - the audience – if you have any buffalo or antelope to eat, and if you can show him your claws. He will also ask you to roar a few times - it might get loud at this point!
Lion goes back to his rock and asks the audience to count him down from three. It might get loud again at this point. Lion roars!
Antelope run across the stage as music plays ♫ and the lights darken.
A mouse squeaks. Big mouse ears are placed on the actor and the actor becomes Mouse. He wanders across stage to the sound of thunder and rain, and the lights turn blue. Mouse is getting wet in the rain. Music plays ♫ and the lights are dim.
Mouse is back in his living room. He talks to his plant about his day and sings a song to music ♫ about being small.
The Mouse puppet comes back on stage and the actor’s mouse ears are taken off. The lights darken a little more and Mouse goes to bed. The lights turn off.
The lights switch on and Mouse stands on his bed. He wants a big voice as he is so small. He tries to roar but keeps squeaking. A Story Teller laughs at Mouse and moves to the left. Mouse decides to go and find his roar.
The lights darken and music plays ♫. Mouse realises he needs to talk to Lion about finding his roar. This scares him as Lion is big and scary and might eat Mouse!
The mouse ears are put back on the Story Teller and he becomes Mouse again. His paws are shaking as he's nervous.
Mouse asks the audience if anyone can help him. It might get loud at this point. He asks if anyone ever feels scared and to put hands in the air if they've ever been scared.
There is a ticking noise. A cricket appears behind the rock and jumps to the steps. He tells Mouse he's scared of the dark and Mouse says he's not scared of the dark. Cricket tells him he's brave!
There is the sound of a bird. A bird comes on from the right and says she's scared of heights. She flies off stage to the left.
There is a moo. A buffalo comes on from the left and he's scared of water (despite being a water buffalo) and spiders! Mouse isn't scared of spiders and has lots of spider friends. The buffalo moos and runs off to the right.
Mouse is scared of getting eaten and asks the audience if he should continue his journey to visit Lion. It might get loud at this point. Tense music plays and the lights darken.
The Story Tellers move the steps and mouse tries to climb them. He is scared.
The buffalo comes on stage from the left and asks if you can help him by putting your hands in the air and saying, 'yes you can'! It might get loud at this point.
Mouse wants to try again. Music plays ♫. He climbs the steps and reaches the top and then jumps down. The Story Teller removes his ears and the Mouse puppet is back on the top of the steps.
The steps split. Tense music plays and the lights flicker. There’s been an earthquake and the gap is too wide for Mouse to jump!
A Story Teller will ask you to put your hands in the air and say 'yes you can'. It might get loud at this point.
Mouse jumps across the stage and almost falls but he is okay. He is happy he can do it. Music plays ♫ and the lights darken. The steps move and he spots some bones. This makes him nervous about being eaten.
There is the noise of a bird. Mouse moves down the steps quietly and then up the steps. The steps move and loud music plays. Mouse jumps to the other steps and then again and again as the steps move. He almost falls again but he makes it to the top as music plays. ♫
The steps move while Mouse is seated and the lights darken some more. An actor speaks to the audience.
The music stops and Mouse is on the ground again. He climbs the rock as music plays. ♫ The lights brighten to see Lion asleep on the rock. Lion is snoring. Mouse asks Lion to teach him his roar.
Music plays ♫ and the lights darken.
When the lights brighten, they reveal the Lion's face. Lion sniffs and looks left and right. Music continues ♫ as he starts to shake and squeal. The lights darken again with some flashing lights.
The Story Teller is now Lion. They scream as music gets loud and there are more flashing lights.
Lion is scared of Mouse! Mouse tries to get closer to Lion but he screams as music plays and lights flash. Mouse realises Lion is frightened of him.
A Story Teller puts mouse ears back on and is now Mouse again. He asks Lion if he is scared of mice. Mouse tells Lion he gets scared too. The buffalo, antelope and cricket listen to the Lion as he tries to speak. Lion says he's scared of mice! He falls to the floor. The actor takes the mouse ears off and the Mouse puppet returns. Mouse comes close to Lion.
Music plays ♫ and Mouse sings a song asking Lion to come closer. Lion takes some breaths and hides.
Mouse asks the audience to shout, 'yes you can!' It might get loud at this point. Lion comes closer and Mouse jumps on his paw.
Music plays ♫ and the lights flash. Mouse and Lion dance together. They're now friends.
The Story Tellers explain that mouse found his voice and how Lion and Mouse are now good friends who spend a lot of time together and laugh a lot.
Music plays ♫ and the Story Tellers sing a song. They ask the audience to show them their paws. The actors start clapping towards the end of the show. You can join them by clapping if you’d like to!
That is the end of the show. The lights will go off and music will play ♫. At the end of the show, the actors will take a bow whilst the music continues to play. Everyone will clap to show the actors they did a good job; you can clap if you’d like to!
When they leave the stage, the music will keep playing and the lights will get brighter. The show is now finished, and it’s time to go home.
