Left out of the in: Investigating Accessibility’s Influence on Theatre Audience In-groups

Abstract

It is well acknowledged that the affective nature of attending theatre offers audience members a sense of community amongst one another (Fischer-Lichte, 2008; Hurley, 2010; Heim, 2020). Gathering together to share time, space, and experience provides theatre audience members an opportunity to be a part of a unique collective for the brief duration of the performance. Given the broadly shared objective and role for attending performance, a psychological in-group is created amongst audience members. These psychological in-groups are established to be an enforcer of perceived safety amongst its members, contributing to understood behavioural expectations, foregrounded trust, and comfort (Morton & Power, 2022). Knowing this, this poster considers nuances to the audience in-group by investigating the ways in which access needs impact how these groups are created. I will examine the limitations to the audience in-group as a result of access needs not being met during the performance. From content warnings to participation expectations to physical access, this poster will explore the creation of psychological in-groups created amongst audiences during theatre performance through a lens of accessibility, perceived safety, and comfort. In doing so, we can consider the ways in which care is established and provided to audience members, what sort of care is being offered, and whose care needs are being prioritized. Works Cited Fischer-Lichte. “Shared Bodies, Shared Spaces: The Bodily Co-Presence of Actors and Spectators.” The Transformative Power of Performance. Routledge, 2008, pp. 38-74. Heim, Caroline. Actors and Audiences: Conversations in the Electric Air. Routledge, 2020. Hurley, Erin. Theatre & Feeling. Macmillan International Higher Education, 2010. Morton, Thomas, and Power, Seamus. "Coming together after standing apart: What predicts felt safety in the post-coronavirus crowd?" Soc Sci Med, vol. 293, 2022, pp. 1-9.