Assisted Performances In London And Manchester From The National Theatre This Christmas
Assisted performances available this festive season for new musical, Hex, at the NT and The Ocean at the End of the Lane playing at The Lowry in Salford Celebrate the festive season with Hex, a new musical based on the story of Sleeping Beauty, playing on the National Theatre’s biggest stage this Christmas. A vividly original retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Hex is a mythic, big-hearted musical that goes beyond the waking kiss. When the fairy is summoned to the palace to help the princess sleep, her spell becomes a curse, and she is plunged into a hundred-year quest to make everything right. Recommended for ages 8+, Hex will run from 26 November until 14 January. Assisted performances are available throughout the festive season, including: Smart caption glasses will be available for performances of Hex from Thursday 8 December. Tickets are on sale now and available to book via the NT website. 500 £20 tickets available for every performance, for adults and children alike. To book specific Access allocations online including wheelchair spaces, the best seats for captioned performances and tickets at the Access adjusted rate, audiences can subscribe to the National Theatre Access List. For more information, please visit here. The Ocean at the End of the Lane, based on the best-selling novel by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Joel Horwood and directed by Katy Rudd, is a thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship. Direct from London’s West End, this critically acclaimed production will open at The Lowry in Salford on 12 December where it will play over Christmas until 8 January 2023, before visiting 28 other towns and cities, across the UK and Ireland. Recommended for 12+ and with assisted performances available at every venue across the tour, this first major stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s work takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten, blending magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling and imagination. Assisted performances available throughout the festive season include: To book specific assisted performances at The Lowry, please email access@thelowry.com or call 0333 320 2838. Tickets are on sale now and available to book via oceanonstage.com
4 Common Hearing Loss Myths
Hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK. It affects one in six of us, and yet, research has discovered that we wait an average of 10 years before seeking treatment for it. Although it impacts more than 40% of people over 50, and 70% of people over 70, almost half (47%) of the UK population has never had a hearing test. If one thing is certain, it’s that Brits don’t want to address hearing loss, but why? In truth, there are many reasons. Some are worried about the stigma attached to hearing aids, whereas others are afraid to adapt to a disability. The most common reasons, however, are that people simply do not know enough about hearing loss or are discouraged by misinformation. It is the myths about hearing loss that often prevents people from seeking the help they need. To break the cycle, people need to know the truth about hearing loss, which is why the most common myths have been debunked below: Myth: “Hearing Loss Only Affects the Elderly” Truth: Hearing loss affects people of all ages. Age-related damage to the inner ear, otherwise known as presbycusis, is the most prevalent cause of hearing loss, but there are many others too. These include: Myth: “Hearing Loss Does Not Affect Your Overall Health” Truth: There are a range of emotional, psychological, and physical difficulties associated with untreated hearing loss. In fact, it can affect your overall health in more ways than you can imagine. These include: Myth: “Mild Hearing Loss Does Not Need Treating” Truth: Mild hearing loss is defined by being unable to hear sounds that are quieter than 25dB. It can be easy to dismiss but must be treated because it puts the brain at risk of auditory deprivation, affects interpersonal relationships and social interactions, and increases the risk of cognitive decline, social isolation and mental health problems. People with mild hearing loss often say that they hear well in quiet environments when they are having one-to-one conversations; however, not so well in loud environments, and nor when a person is standing some distance away from them. They also have trouble hearing high frequency sounds. The longer the hearing loss is left untreated, the more the brain loses its ability to process the sounds it is no longer hearing. Hearing aids treat hearing loss by re-training the brain to hear certain sounds again and can even reverse early-onset brain atrophy. Mild hearing loss is the easiest to treat because the brain is less likely to have lost the ability to process sound. If mild hearing loss is neglected, however, and advances to moderate or severe, it becomes much more difficult to treat. Myth: “Hearing Loss is Inevitable and Cannot be Prevented” Truth: Hearing tests are not part of routine check-ups which is why hearing loss is not treated as seriously as it should be. It also explains why so many people are unsure about what to do when they experience hearing loss. People need to know, however, that prevention is always better than cure. While it’s true that hearing loss is somewhat inevitable – everybody’s hearing will change in one way or another across the course of their lives – people can reduce the rate at which it is deteriorating. Fortunately, there are various ways to prevent hearing loss: Scarlet Lewitt is a consultant for Hear4U. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scarlet-lewitt-046172198/