The NT Ghent Tablet Project

towards accessible theatre performances

In collaboration with Panthea, NT Ghent and the Department of Applied Linguistics/Translators and Interpreters of the University of Antwerp, OPEN has worked on a project that pursues the idea of inclusive theatre. 

The performances of COMPASSIE, directed by Milo Rau, on 4 and 5 March 2020 in Minnemeers at NT Ghent, became, thanks to the audio description, as accessible for people with a visual handicap as for the blind and deaf thanks to the translation into Flemisch sign language and overtitles.

Panthea's software made the perfomance accessible on different levels. The users had the possibility to individually choose their preferred version, which was then audible, visible and readable on the tablets that had been made available. You could choose from:

  • Audio description via sound recording
  • Flemish sighn language via video
  • Subtitling for the d/Deaf and hard of hearing
  • Multilingual subtitles

OPEN worked with master students to create the audio description and to adapt the Dutch subtitles for the hearing impaired. We also investigated the impact of this technology on the creation process, the final quality and the user experience.