RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews

This week Vidar was reviewing a new version of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Red Shoes by Playwright Nancy Harris at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre with description by Professional Audio Describers Ess Grange and Carolyn Smith.

About The Red shoes:

When an orphaned young woman is taken in by some local do-gooders, she is expected to be seen and not heard. Dazzled by a pair of beautiful shoes, she sees the chance to do and be so much more, but soon her feet betray her, taking her to places she does not wish to go.

This Christmas, get up close to the magic as playwright Nancy Harris brings Hans Christian Andersen’s dark fairy tale into the 21st century in the intimate surroundings of the Swan Theatre.

Directed by Kimberley Rampersad (Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival, Canada) in her RSC debut, The Red Shoes is both wickedly funny and a cautionary tale of pride, vanity and how we all deserve to dance how we wish to dance.

There is another audio described performance of the Red Shoes on Saturday 28 December at 1pm and for more details about this and other described performances at the RSC do visit the access pages of their website - https://www.rsc.org.uk/your-visit/access

You will also find out more about access at the Royal Shakespeare Company by visiting the following pages of their website - https://www.rsc.org.uk/your-visit/access


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The Royal Ballet and Opera House in London continue their programme of access to their productions for blind and partially sighted people with both live and recorded audio described performances, along with accompanying introductory notes and touch tours.

If you have ever wondered what goes in to audio describing ballet and dance then do join RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey for an insight into how the Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella is brought to life for blind and partially sighted people through pre show introductory notes, touch tours and audio described performances.

Prior to the general rehearsal of Cinderella On Monday 2 December 2024 Toby caught up with Professional Audio Describers Julia Grundy and Jane Brambley to find out what goes in to the process of describing a ballet production like Cinderella, how they both work on their description scripts, thinking about what props and costumes to include on a touch tour and whether they adapt their live description script at all for the recorded description which is now available at every performance of Cinderella. 

After chatting with Julia and Jane Toby also caught up with Ania Kapazat, one of the Administrative Producers at the Royal Ballet, to find out more about how she has helped Julia and Jane with their description as well as listening in to the dry run of their audio description at the general rehearsal of Cinderella.

During the first interval of the general rehearsal of Cinderella Toby managed to catch up with Kevin O'Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, to firstly chat about how things have gone in getting this production of Cinderella to the general rehearsal, how embedded access and audio description is within the company and a snap shot stand out moment from Cinderella that really shows how everything comes together to bring the story of Cinderella to life on stage with audio description too.

About Cinderella

The Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella continues on the main stage of the Royal Opera House until 16 January 2025 with recorded audio description now available at every performance. 
This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family over the festive holiday. A co-production between the Royal Ballet and the national Ballet of Canada.

In 1939, Frederick Ashton first began to consider creating a full-length work, the Company's first three-act ballet. At the time it seemed like the obvious next step for British ballet. The idea was shelved during the war but in 1946 Ashton returned urgently to it. Inspired by other balletic adaptations of Cinderella coming out of Russia, Ashton chose to create his own version of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches story. Set to Prokofiev’s exquisite score the ballet received its premiere in 1948 featuring Moira Shearer and Michael Some's in the lead roles. 

A World Where Dreams Blossom 

The designs of this production of Cinderella are heavily influenced by nature and flowers. As the Fairy Godmother and the Seasons’ fairies come into Cinderella’s world, the muted tones of the family living room are taken over by a burst of colour. The creative team behind the exquisite world of Cinderella includes set designer Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro, Olivier award for Best Set Design), costume designer Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting designer David Finn (Brokeback Mountain), video designer Finn Ross (Les Miserables, Frozen) and illusions by Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).  

To find out more about The Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella do visit the following pages of the RBO website - https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/cinderella-details

You will also find more information about access at the royal Ballet and Opera House on the following access pages of their website - https://www.rbo.org.uk/visit/access-at-rbo

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RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell sat down with some of RNIB’s campaigns team to look back at a few national and local projects the charity took on in 2024.

If you’d like more information on campaigns or want to get involved, email [email protected]

Visit rnib.org.uk/news or call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999

If you like your socials, follow @RNIB_Campaigns on X or search your socials for RNIB Campaigns

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UK sight loss charity has recently published it’s annual report for 2024.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell spoke to Matt Stringer, RNIB CEO, to find out what the report contains and how people can read the interactive document.

If you’d like to read the report, go to www.rnib.org.uk

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As we approach the end of 2024, RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell sits down with some of the world’s leading sight loss charities to look back at the year and ahead to the next. 
They discuss the organisations challenges, highlights and memorable moments. 
Today, it’s Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB. 

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Today Jonathan takes us on an adventure to a natural wonder. Join him as he visits a waterfall in Guatemala which runs both hot and cold.

Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues.

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Join Jonathan as he visits the iconic Niagra Falls in North America.

Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues.

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Join Jonathan as he enjoys a tango performance and visits the waterfalls of Brazil and Argentina.

Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues.

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Time for a trip to the famous Victoria Falls with Jonathan Abro. He takes us to the world's largest waterfall in today's Travelogue.

Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues.

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Build something magical with text-based lego instructions. 

Bricks For The Blind share free guides so blind and partially sighted people can enjoy the beloved sets. 

Amelia spoke to CEO and Founder, Matthew Shifrin, to learn more.

Learn more about Bricks For The Blind and access their accessible building instructions on their website - https://bricksfortheblind.org/

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In the lead up to Christmas and with many productions of what is a real classic festive ballet treat The Nutcracker, what might it be like going to an audio described ballet performance from a blind or partially sighted persons point of view. 

Well for a bit of a festive audio described theatre review RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was not only joined by ITV News Inclusion and Diversity Consultant Vidar Hjarding MBE but also by our very own Allan Russell to go on a magical journey through a number of ballet productions of The Nutcracker. Following the whole AD experience from the pre-show introductory notes, to the touch tour prior to the performance and then to the live audio described performance itself.

Allan reflected on going to see the recent Scottish Ballet production of The Nutcracker with Vidar looking back on many performances of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker which he has seen many times with audio description.

To find out more about Scottish Ballet’s access offer do visit - https://scottishballet.co.uk/discover/access/

And for more about Birmingham Royal Ballet do visit - https://www.brb.org.uk

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