When Sue Scott started losing her sight, it felt like her world had collapsed.

“I was devastated,” says Sue. “I had to leave work, I never drove a car again and I daren’t go out alone. I thought my useful life was over.

“I’d always enjoyed going to the theatre, but I felt I couldn’t go anymore.”

Then Sue went to an audio-described performance at the Alhambra, which transformed her experience of live theatre. She went on to join the Bradford Theatres Access Group, which has made striking developments in ways people with disabilities can use the Alhambra, from on-stage touch tours to subtitles.

Before the group started, in 2006, 186 people attended assisted performances. Today, there are at least 700. Bradford Theatres general manager Adam Renton started the group so theatre-users could help move services forward.

“There’s nothing more exciting than when you’re in the auditorium, the orchestra is tuning up, and the lights are dimmed. I wanted as many people as possible to experience that,” says Adam. “We all have ideas about widening access but the service-users are the experts.”

Other access group members are Susie Farrar, who was born deaf; Jill Grant, a wheelchair-user; Linda Hanson who is blind and hard of hearing; and Keren Seabrook, Susie’s interpreter.

“We meet monthly. Everyone feeds back with suggestions and we make changes, such as removing TVs from toilets because blind people found it confusing to hear voices in there,” says Adam. “Members have also trained staff in approaching and helping people with disabilities.”

Developments in access have included an increase in assisted performances at the Alhambra. For blind or partially-sighted people registered with the access group, there are audio brochures and touch tours.

Once they have booked for a production, they receive a CD of audio pre-show notes, including synopsis and character profiles, and shortly before the assisted performance they are guided around the stage, touching props, costumes, even cast members, to literally get a feel of the production before the curtain rises.

“It brings the show alive,” says Adam. “Marti Pellow, who was in Jekyll And Hyde last week, took part in a touch tour and, during the pantomime, people walked over Snow White’s little bridge.”

During the show, service-users listen to an audio-description through headphones. “The audio-describer sits in a booth at the back of the auditorium and explains the action in detail. The timing has to be extremely precise, so they’re not talking over dialogue or songs – it’s a real skill,” says Adam.

For audience-members who are deaf or hard of hearing, including older people, there are captioned performances. On screens either side of the stage are descriptions of dialogue, song lyrics and sound effects.

Three members of staff have been trained in captioning, including marketing manager Elizabeth Hall. “It takes 35 hours to prepare for one captioned performance,” says Elizabeth.

“We see the script and show in advance, then type our own script. We then watch the opening night in case we need to rearrange anything. Every single thing we hear on stage, down to a dog barking or a clap of thunder, must be included, with the timing just right so our captions don’t clash with the action.”

Most Alhambra shows have an assisted performance, and last Christmas an additional performance of the panto was attended by 200 children from deaf schools.

“Despite not having a specific budget for assisted performances, we’re bringing in audiences from places that don’t have these services,” says Adam.

Access services – which also include signed performances, brochures in Braille and large-print and a subtitled/signed virtual theatre tour on the website – have earned Bradford Theatres two Theatrical Management Association awards for Most Welcoming Theatre.

“We want to increase people’s confidence,” says Adam. “While many people with disabilities book in groups, others prefer to come individually but may not feel confident enough.

“The virtual tour takes some of the fear out of visiting, and staff greet people and make sure their needs are met.”

Sue Scott says the access group and services have “given me back my life”.

“Now, when Billy Pearce does something silly in the panto, we know what everyone is laughing at,” she smiles.

* For more information, visit bradford-theatres.co.uk/ access-information.