Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart
2nd Edition
Will be published approx. on 12. November 2026
Book
Hardback
314 pages
978-1-041-09709-9 (ISBN)
Description
Sensory Theatre is an accessible step-by-step guide to creating theatre for inclusive audiences, such as babies and toddlers, or young people on the Autism Spectrum or affected by other neuro-divergent conditions. In this updated and considerably expanded second edition, ten new chapters share the diverse experiences of Sensory Theatre companies across the world.
The books traces Sensory Theatre's core work and fundamental concepts, harnessing the power of five or more senses to address its participants who have different ways of relating to the world around them. It offers a host of practical techniques drawn from over forty years of experience with Oily Cart, especially radical innovations such as theatre on trampolines, in hydrotherapy pools, and with flying audiences in the company of aerial artists. The book also includes copious photos from the Oily Cart's archives and many links to video examples of the company's work. While the first half of the book presents an insightful overview of Oily Cart's history and pioneering the development of work for the very young including Baby Theatre, and those described in the UK as having Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), the second half of this book is dedicated to Sensory Theatre companies around the world. They explore how they adopted different techniques, such as incorporating on-line and digital programming with their analogue multi-sensory work.
Readers will learn how to:
Research the intended audience while not being led astray by labels.
Create a welcoming, immersive sensory space in classrooms, nurseries, school halls and playgrounds.
Recruit, audition, cast and run rehearsals.
Ensure that the production is truly sensory and interactive.
Written for theatre practitioners as well as educators, the second edition of Sensory Theatre is ideal for Theatre for Young Audiences, Drama in Education and specialised Applied Theatre courses.
The books traces Sensory Theatre's core work and fundamental concepts, harnessing the power of five or more senses to address its participants who have different ways of relating to the world around them. It offers a host of practical techniques drawn from over forty years of experience with Oily Cart, especially radical innovations such as theatre on trampolines, in hydrotherapy pools, and with flying audiences in the company of aerial artists. The book also includes copious photos from the Oily Cart's archives and many links to video examples of the company's work. While the first half of the book presents an insightful overview of Oily Cart's history and pioneering the development of work for the very young including Baby Theatre, and those described in the UK as having Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), the second half of this book is dedicated to Sensory Theatre companies around the world. They explore how they adopted different techniques, such as incorporating on-line and digital programming with their analogue multi-sensory work.
Readers will learn how to:
Research the intended audience while not being led astray by labels.
Create a welcoming, immersive sensory space in classrooms, nurseries, school halls and playgrounds.
Recruit, audition, cast and run rehearsals.
Ensure that the production is truly sensory and interactive.
Written for theatre practitioners as well as educators, the second edition of Sensory Theatre is ideal for Theatre for Young Audiences, Drama in Education and specialised Applied Theatre courses.
More details
Edition
2nd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
48 farbige Abbildungen, 9 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 48 Farbfotos bzw. farbige Rasterbilder, 9 s/w Abbildungen
48 Halftones, color; 9 Halftones, black and white; 48 Illustrations, color; 9 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-041-09709-9 (9781041097099)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Tim Webb
Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart
E-Book
approx. 11/2026
2nd Edition
Routledge
€49.99
Not yet available
Tim Webb
Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart
Book
approx. 11/2026
2nd Edition
Routledge
€47.50
Not yet published
Tim Webb
Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart
E-Book
approx. 11/2026
2nd Edition
Routledge
€49.99
Not yet available
Previous edition
Tim Webb
Sensory Theatre
How to Make Interactive, Inclusive, Immersive Theatre for Diverse Audiences by a Founder of Oily Cart
Book
08/2022
1st Edition
Routledge
€227.40
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Tim Webb is one of the three co-founders of the Oily Cart. He was the Artistic Director and chief writer of the company from 1981 to his retirement in 2018. During this time, he led a team that created more than 85 productions for young people including those labelled as having Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities or other complex disabilities. He has taught and directed sensory, immersive and interactive theatre in Belgium, Canada, China, Ireland, Russia, Sweden, Abu Dhabi and the USA, as well as throughout the UK. In 2011, he was honoured to be appointed MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his work for young people with disabilities. In 2018, he was made an Honorary Fellow of Rose Bruford College.
Content
Foreword by Prof. Helen Nicholson. Foreword to 1st edition by Jonathan Shmidt-Chapman. Preface PART ONE. The Beginnings of Sensory Theatre 1. Sensory Theatre: The Beginnings 2. Theatre for Two to Five Year Olds 3. All Sorts of Shows for All Sorts of Kids 4. How Long Is a Piece of Theatre? 5. Close up on PMLD 6. Truly Immersive - Theatre in Hydropools 7. Magic Carpet Ride 8. From PMLD to Autism Spectrum 9. Sensory Theatre for the Very Early Years PART TWO. How Sensory Theatre Works 10. Sensory Theatre Audiences 11. Sensory Theatre is Multisensory 12. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Seeing 13. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Hearing 14. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Touch 15. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Smell 16. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Taste 17. The Senses One by One - The Kinaesthetic Sense 18. The Senses One by One - The Sense of Hot and Cold 19. The Sensory Audit 20. Sensory Theatre is Close-up and Interactive 21. Wonderlands - Design in Sensory Theatre 22. Venues - Open and Closed 23. Music That is Felt as Much as Heard 24. The Problem with Narrative 25. The Performers in Sensory Theatre 26. Puppets and Pixels 27. Auditions 28. Rehearsals and Rehearsal Spaces 29. Shows that Start Before They Begin - Preparation 30. Continuous Consultation and Feedback PART THREE. The growth of Sensory Theatre 31. A rough guide to its progress so far 32. Canada - Carousel Players 33. USA - Chicago Children's Theatre 34. UK - Bamboozle 35. UK - Frozen Light 36. Canada - Motus Theatre 37. Japan - Hospital Theatre Project 38. Australia - Sensorium 39. Sweden - Scen:se Project 40. USA - Trusty Sidekick and Lincoln Centre 41. Ireland - Helium 42. Japan - Sun Pucho 43. Australia - Threshold 44. Israel - Making Sensory Theatre with Safe Place 45. UK - C&T 46. UK - Blanket Fort Club 47. UK - Concrete Youth 48. UK - Second Hand Dance 49. USA - Honolulu Theatre for Youth and Hawaii State Art Museum 50. USA - The K'ilu Company 51. UK - Oily Cart 52. Sensory Theatre is Digital Too PART FOUR. Extras Appendix 1. Bibliography: Books and Articles that I Have Found Especially Useful Appendix 2. A List of Shows Written by Tim Webb Appendix 3. How Philosophy and Theatre Can Help Us Value Profoundly Disabled People Appendix 4. Links to Oily Cart Show Videos on YouTube