Teatr dla niewidomych i słabo widzących
The Reading Theatre for people with poor eyesight and blind project

Author(s): Anna Maria Dolińska
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Fine Arts / Performing Arts
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: theatre; blind; spectacle; premiere; audio descriptio
Summary/Abstract: One of the most numerous groups in Poland, with almost a hundred thousand people, whose access to art has been difficult or limited over the years, are undoubtedly people with visual impairments. There is no need to convince anyone that participation in artistic events has an extraordinary power to connect people, develop their creativity and that it teaches openness to others. Similarly, there is no dispute about the beneficial influence of art to the process of rehabilitation and revalidation of people with disabilities. Nevertheless, blind people are still forced to stand up for equal rights in cultural institutions. Looking at this issue, we can easily see that people with poor eyesight and blind in Poland gained access to the world of theatre and film only at the beginning of the new century. In November 2006, the first Polish film screening with audio description delivered live by a voice-over was organized. A year later the first Polish theatre performance with audio description was held. The article is devoted to the blind in the world of spectacles, discussing the problem in the context of the project unique in Europe – The Reading Theatre for people with poor eyesight and blind, implemented for over a decade by Powszechny Theatre in Łódź. The textpresents the characteristics of the project, its original form, as well as a detailed description of sample premieres realized as part of the series, statements by the creators and its originator – director Ewa Pilawska.

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