Relaxed Performance – Sensory Guide
Wednesday 16 October at 2pm The Carne Studio Theatre, LAMDA
Running time: 2 hour 15 minutes, plus a 15 minute interval
Content warnings: Contains references to injury, depictions of injury, references to war, references to intimacy.
Relaxed Performances at LAMDA
• You are welcome to come and go from the theatre as you need
• There is a break-out room available, the Rittner Room
• House lighting is on low throughout, never going to full black-out
• Loud noises are reduced in sound level
• No strobe lighting is used
• You are welcome to react to the show however you may need
• At the end of this document is a show synopsis/sensory guide
Here is a guide to sensory information symbols in this document:
Indicates potentially loud or sudden noises
Indicates bright or sudden lighting changes
Indicates a sad or potentially distressing scene
Indicates fighting, or use of guns/weapons
Arriving at LAMDA
When you arrive at LAMDA, the box office is to your right. You should pick up your ticket here, using your name.
Toilets are located right next to box office.
LAMDA staff will be wearing LAMDA branded T-Shirts or lanyards. If you need any assistance whilst in the building, please ask them.
This is the Theatre Foyer. You may be asked to wait here until the house is open. You will be shown how to get to the Carne Studio Theatre by an usher.
This performance will take place in the Carne Studio Theatre.
This is the entrance.
When you enter the theatre, an Usher will take your ticket from you. You are welcome to sit where you like.
You can come and go from the space wheneveryou like. The house lights will stay on low throughout the show.
If you aren’t sure at any point during your visit where to go, please ask an usher.
The break-out space which you are welcome to use at any point is the bar area. It is next to the Sainsbury Theatre. It can be accessed via the stairs or lift in the main entrance foyer from the Carne Theatre.
Before the show begins, the actors will introduce themselves and the characters they are playing.
The lights in the theatre will dim and she show will start. You can come and go as you need through the doors you entered by.
At the end of the show the actors will come on and bow. You are welcome to clap at this point if you would like.
The Invincibles Company Headshots
Maya Lewis Tamika Bennett
Nell Marchant/Commentator
Zella Clay
Soldier/James Fairman/Guy Burney/Referee/Commentator Ryan Duval
Sammy Lewis/Hannah Fairman/ Photographer/Commentator
Mia Haynes-French
Trixie Peters/ Podcaster/Commentator Géovanna Lewin-Rowe
Gladys Fairman/Podcaster/ Commentator
Ada Fairman/Commentator
Lily Olufemi-Bywaters
Ed ‘Cholly’ Cholerton/Brian Baden/Commentator
Roland Royal III
Maud Reader/Commentator
Rita Silva
Below is a brief synopsis of the play to aid in contexualising the following sensory guide.
In 2023, injured Academy footballer Maya follows England’s progress through the Women’s World Cup. The roar of the Lionesses echoes a war cry from 1917. In her Essex hometown, factory workers Sterling Ladies play for two whirlwind seasons and never lose a match. Known as the Dagenham Invincibles, they will lead the extraordinary movement of female footballers through World War One.
As Maya fears she’ll never play again, the Invincibles face their triumph fading into obscurity when the war ends. The call of the past brings hope for the future and as the eras combine, The Invincibles celebrates the rich history of women in football
Below is a sensory guide for the performance that shows potential distressing actions in the play, split up by scenes
During some changes of scenes throughout the play, the lights fade to a near blackout. Throughout the play, commentators talk loudly into amplified microphones as they commentate on the football.
Pre-show
Before the play begins, there is loud modern music as the audience enter the auditorium, and slow flashing lights. There is a blackout just before the play starts.
ACT 1
Scene 1
The show starts with a football commentator who is speaking loudly into a microphone There is loud background noises of crowds cheering, mixed with sounds of shooting and bombing from the war
There are brief flashing lights as the sound of a bomb goes off
As the company sing, the lights in the theatre are bright light football ground floodlights
Scene 2
no distressing action
Scene 3
This scene starts with low-level lighting James Fairman shouts at his daughters as he comes in
Scene 4
no distressing action
Scene 5
There are loud cheers and applause throughout Guy Burney’s speech
Scene 6-8
no distressing action
Scene 9
Ada and Trixie are practicing for a three-legged race. They’re singing and getting louder as they run around the stage. They stumble to the floor as they try to avoid Nell - this has been choreographed so they don’t hurt themselves. Ada and Nell start arguing. Ada squares up to Nell and Nell pushes Ada. Nell breaks an egg on Ada’s forehead, and they start fighting.
Scene 10
We find out that Maya was injured and got released from her football Academy As Maya watches the TV, there is a fast flickering blue light to represent it
Scene 11
The factory girls are starting to be trained by Cholly. There is a drum-beat in the background like a military style drill, and he shouts orders at them. The women are loud and excited when they find out they will be playing a match
Scene
12
There is loud scene change music - ‘Match of the Day’
A whistle blows as the match starts
The TV light is flickering on Maya
Both Maya and the Commentators are shouting loudly at the matches
As the Sterling Ladies score goals, the music swells
A whistle blows at the end of the match
Scene
13
The Sterling Ladies are all singing loudly as they celebrate their six-one win
Nell is limping
Hannah Fairman pulls off Nell’s sock and there is a big blister that is very infected - this is prosthetic make up
Nell tries to stand on her foot later, but can’t
Scene 14
Hannah gives Nell her son’s football boots to play in whilst he is at war. There is a low heartbeat noise underneath that builds tension
Hannah and the girls start to sing, shout and clap a song that they know from the music halls
James walks in and is upset and angry that Nell is wearing his son’s boots. He goes to grab Nell
but the women stop him
Scene 15
no distressing action
Scene 16
The Sterling Ladies play another football match
This has all been choreographed, including falls in the match
The lights flash as photographs of the Sterling Ladies are taken
There is a blackout at the end of the scene, leading to the interval
INTERVAL
ACT 2
Scene 1
There is another blackout before Act 2 starts Maya is watching the TV with a blue flashing light on her
Scene 2
As Maya is watching the football, both her and the commentator are shouting at the match
Scene 3-4
no distressing action
Scene 5
As Maya is watching the football, both her and the commentator are shouting at the match
Scene 6
The football team are at a dance. They are all clapping and cheering as they dance Gladys trips over and falls, twisting her ankle. This has been choreographed and the actor has not hurt themselves.
Scene 7
Maya is watching the TV with a blue flashing light on her
As Maya is watching the football, both her and the commentator are shouting at the match
Scene 8
Scene
9
The Sterling Ladies are playing another football match
Nell stops playing and she is struggling for breath. She falls to the floor.
The other players are shouting for help, but it is too late as she passes away on the pitch.
Scene
10
Everyone attends Nell’s funeral which is an upsetting scene
Scene 11
The scene starts dark with the flashing light of the TV
Throughout the scene, the commentators gets louder, and the chanting of football crowds is also loud
Scene 12
The end of the war is announced and there is loud cheering, chatting and singing throughout the scene
Scene
13
Maya is watching the TV with a blue flashing light on her
Maya and Sammy shout at the TV at the end of the scene
Scene 14
The TV light is flickering
The Sterling Ladies are upset they won’t be playing football anymore
There is a blackout at the end of the play