Theatres and Cinemas Accused of 'Deafwashing' as Access Remains Marginal
An article featured in The Conversation's State of the Arts series highlights the exclusion of deaf audiences from theatres and cinemas, despite assertions of prioritizing access and diversity. The piece notes that many performances do not offer captions or British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, typically providing such services only once during a run, while cinemas caption merely 1% of their screenings. The deaf researcher author labels this phenomenon as 'managed exclusion' and 'deafwashing', stressing the negative mental health effects on deaf individuals, who experience elevated levels of anxiety and depression. The success of Under Milk Wood at Theatr Clwyd is showcased for its use of captions, BSL, and audio descriptions, advocating for a future where inclusion is standard and more deaf creatives hold significant positions.
Key facts
- Theatres typically offer only one captioned and one BSL-interpreted show per run.
- Cinemas caption on average 1% of all showings.
- In the UK, one in seven people (approximately 14%) are deaf or have hearing loss.
- Deaf children have mental health problems at two to four times the rate of hearing peers.
- The production of Under Milk Wood at Theatr Clwyd integrated captions, BSL, and audio description.
- Craidd is a collaboration of Welsh theatre companies.
- Sara Beer is director for change at Craidd.
- The article is part of The Conversation's State of the Arts series.
Entities
Artists
- Sara Beer
Institutions
- Theatr Clwyd
- Craidd
- The Conversation
Locations
- Wales
- United Kingdom