Making theatre for audiences with complex support needs can be tricky. Often, companies just take a standard play, turn the lights up, lower the volume, and call it ‘relaxed’. The Scottish physical theatre company Tenterhooks does something much better.
They know true access means building a show from scratch to suit its audience. With Gaggle, they have created a fun, sensory world that works on its own terms.
The setup is simple. Three lighthouse keepers and a musician go about their daily routines. By day, they do their chores. By night, their world turns into a strange, oceanic dream. The actors do not speak. Instead, they tell the story using circus skills, physical comedy, and props you can touch.
Circus and storytelling
A tall circus pole sits right in the centre of the stage. The cast climbs and spins on it with supple strength, grabbing the audience’s attention. The storytelling is clear and highly visual. At one point, the accordion player plays a sudden, loud note like a ship’s horn in the fog. Instantly, the actors scramble to light the beacon. They rush up the pole, showing the audience exactly what is happening. This is fast, funny, and clever clowning.
The show is also smart about its pacing. Many children’s shows rush to fill every second with noise. Tenterhooks does the opposite. After a burst of acrobatics or comedy, the actors suddenly stop and leave a quiet space. This gives the audience time to process what they just saw. They can make noise, move around, and react without interrupting the show. The actors welcome these reactions and blend them right into the performance.
“They know true access means building a show from scratch to suit its audience. With Gaggle, they have created a fun, sensory world that works on its own terms.“
A tactile world
The design of the show is wonderful in terms of touch and feel. During a storm scene, a vast piece of blue fabric washes right over the heads of the audience. It is a simple trick, but it feels magical. Later, the actors hand out giant vibrating seashells; the audience can feel them humming in their hands. The lighting is just as thoughtful, shifting from bright daylight to the soft, gentle glow of floating paper lanterns.
Gaggle invites noise, movement, and exploration. It does not treat these things as disruptions. Instead, they are the point of the art. The comedy is clever, the circus skills strong, and the sensory props lovely. Tenterhooks has made a generous and smart piece of theatre. It shows what can happen when a performance space is built for everyone to enjoy.
All Images: Gaggle – Eoin Carey
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