Ambition for Ageing Project Report
Octagon Theatre
Ambition for Ageing Project Report
What We Set Out to Do:
Offering performances and an environment that is specially adapted for older people is a new area for us, and the funding will be used to complete training, research and consultation to ensure that we create a sustainable model that works for older people and creates social connections. There are three main stages:
Stage 1An experienced member of the Octagon Artistic will visit care homes, older people’s groups and / or sheltered housing in the target areas – Crompton, Halliwell and Tonge with the Haulgh. They will lead a creative consultation with participants / residents to gauge interest, discover issues around transport / access needs etc.
Stage 2Participants / residents from Stage 1 will be invited to the Octagon for a coffee morning with transport provided. They will be given a tour (a photographic tour can be arranged if more appropriate for the needs of the group), meet different members of staff and performers, and explore the proposed solutions to the issues raised in Stage 1.
Stage 3 Participants from the coffee morning will be offered a ticket to the first age friendly performance and encouraged to bring a companion to provide support. For those experiencing social isolation, we will provide a linking service with other participants. Again, transport will be provided to and from the venue. Depending on feedback from the coffee morning, there may be supplementary activity around this (a set tour, meeting the performers, lunch etc.)
Stage 1 and 2 will happen between May and September. The performance will be selected from our Autumn season, with the final decision made by the participants.
We are also asking for a contribution towards a dementia friendly training course for our front of house staff to make the overall experience of visiting the theatre more accessible for more vulnerable older people.
The Octagon Theatre will invest staff time and resources in the project and commit two members of staff to lead on the work.
What We Did
We achieved all the outputs we proposed for our Ambition for Ageing Project and offered more opportunities than outlined. However, the timescale was pushed back slightly and we did not deliver some elements of the project ‘til later than proposed.
Events & Activities:
- Introduction to the Octagon - Performance ofSomeone’s Sons by On the Go Theatre Company – June 2016
95 older people from the following groups attended two matinee performances:
- St Georges Court, Halliwell
- Precious Gems, Halliwell
- Hibbert Street Centre
- Asian Elders
- All Souls Church, Crompton
- Consultation visits by Deborah Dickinson, Associate Producer and freelance consultant Jayne Marshallto older people’s residential units and sheltered housing – August 2016
- Golden Oldies, Tong with the Haulgh
- Allerton House (now merged with St George’s Court), Halliwell
- St George’s Court, Halliwell
- Eldon Extra Care Unit, Tong with the Haulgh
- Crompton Luncheon Club, Crompton
We talked to older people from the above groups about their experiences of theatre, the Octagon and going out to other arts events. (See attached Questionnaire).
In summary, participants highlighted a lack of knowledge about what was ‘on’ at the theatre, difficulties with public transport, a strong aversion to going out a night and concernsabout accessibility, as reasons why they may not attend theatre. All reported that a cost of £11 per ticket was reasonable, though group leaders privately fed back that they felt some participants where simply saying what they thought we wanted to hear and actually felt it was too expensive.
- Coffee Morning – 13th October 2016
55 people from seven different groups, plus some individuals, attended this event at the Octagon.
- St Peter’s Halliwell
- Golden Oldies – Tonge Fold
- Carribean Elders – Halliwell
- St George’s Court – Halliwell
- Eldon Extra Care Housing, Tong with the Haulgh
- Asian Elders
- Shared Lives – Thicketford / Tonge
Participants were welcomed and introduced to the theatre in the main auditorium. They were taken ontwo different tours of the theatre building lead by members of the Octagon’s communications and artistic teams to suit the range of access needs of participants. Everyone came together to have tea / coffee and cake in the bar. Octagon staff were on hand to talk to attendees and we discussed their favourite stories, when they had last attended the theatre, what the barriers to attending were and how we could help and support them to come to the Octagon. The emphasis was on listening to their views rather than ‘selling’ the theatre.
Image: Coffee Morning at Octagon Theatre
- Academy tour of ‘The Old Torn Book’
The Octagon Academy 2016, a group of young people aged between 11 and 21 wrote and produced their own brand, new play, The Old Torn Book. It was performed at two venues that serve older audiences:
- Kearsley Mount Methodist Church – c. 40 in audience
- Thicketford Day Care centre – two performances, c. 40 in total
The play was about an older man and how he re-connected with his community and family after becoming isolated. Reaction was very positive, although some audience members found the dialogue a little hard to understand (please see note under learning). In particular they enjoyed seeing younger people come into their centre and performa play they had worked hard on. The older people we spoke to also loved the fact that the performers valued their feedback as they were performing characters similar to their age.
This matches the feedback received on participation forms – many older people felt that their opinions aren’t asked for and so their voices are not heard.
- Educating Rita Dress Rehearsal -January 2017
Members of five groups, plus some individuals, 45 in total, attended the dress rehearsal of Educating Rita:
Shared Lives – Tonge – Thicketford but from across area.
St Augustine’s Church Tonge Moor
Age UK – various lunch clubs
St Peter’s -Halliwell
Golden Oldies – Tonge Fold
We received very positive feedback about the event – both in terms of how attendees were looked after by staff and the quality of the performance. They seemed to really value being a ‘VIP’ audience and getting a sneak peek at the production through watching the Dress Rehearsal.
Outcomes of the Project:
-To Kill AMockingbird- Eldon Extra Care Unit - independent visit – 7 attendees including one wheelchair user.
-Quotes from Audience members:
‘I have never been to the theatre and my first experience at the Octagon was amazing. I want to go again and soon.’
‘I use a wheel trolley due to my amputation; the staff were great and moved my trolley to a safe area and at the interval and the end they came over with my trolley it was so thoughtful and great that I didn’t have to ask for it.’
‘I never knew how brilliant the Octagon was, can’t wait to tell my friends all about it.’
-Performance of Dirty Face by On the Go Theatre Company in March 2017. St Peter’s Halliwell attended after hearing positive feedback about the 2016 On the Go performance of Someone’s Sons, which was our first offer under Ambition for Aging. This was performed at Bolton Parish Church, representing a move for the group from the known environment of the Octagon.
‘Had a Lovely Day out.’ ‘I thoroughly enjoyed it – I applaud the actors!’ ‘Fabulous entertainment.
-Raised awareness of the needs of older people amongst staff at the Octagon from thinking about how we communicate with these groups, highlighting the provision of hearing loops and audio performances as well as adding older people’s residential homes and centres to the mailing list.
-Staff are being trained in Dementia Awareness in June 2017
Learning:
Working with ‘Gatekeepers’is vital to engaging with older people. They generally understand the needs of the people they represent and work with; knowing what is likely to interest them and advocating and advising on issues that some individuals may be too embarrassed to discuss, but which are vital to them engaging and feeling comfortable (e.g. stairs and storage for walkers, toilet arrangements, assistance for those with literacy needs)
Whilst feedback for the two shows performed by the Octagon’s over 50 group On The Go, was very positive, we should not assume that older people solely enjoy entertainment created and performed by a similar ‘age’ to themselves. There was a slight preference expressed for musicals and comedy over straight drama, but beyond this we should be wary of generalisations.
Relaxed performances for older people would be welcome. Key considerations should be additional storage room for walkers / mobility aids, large print and / or visual guides and menus and ensuring that the vocal and recorded sound from the show is well conveyed by the loop system and clear from all areas of the auditorium.
A longer interval would be appreciated, and more staff prepared to help attendees up and down stairs, in position to hold doors open etc. More seats may be required in public areas, for instance for the toilet queue. Feedback from those who attended performances said they felt anxious over the ‘rush’ at the interval and at the end of the play and were sometimes unsure where in the building they needed to be or get back to.
Older people want to be listened to and they want to be asked about what they want and what they experience. They enjoy mixing with new people and making new friends; they want to make their communities and lives better but feel they lack the agency to do so. Those most positive about their neighbourhoods are those involved in the most active groups and those who are able to access community, local or public transport to get out and try new things. Those who feel most negatively are ‘bound’ to other people – reliant on family and services to do anything or go anywhere.
For many years we have focused on ‘hard to reach’ young people. Our Ambition for Aging project has taught us that there are also ‘hard to reach’ older people, who face many of the same challenges around money, transport and support networks, but who may not have been seen as a priority.
We have built strong links with a network of new organisations and we will build on these going forwards to meet the needs of an under represented part of our community.
We intend to:
- Offer dementia friendly performances
- Increase the number of relaxed performances on offer.
- Invite participants from Ambition to Ageing project to events at the theatre
- Change the way we communicate with older people’s groups
‘The more we work together the better life is.’ – quote from participant St Peter’s Halliwell.
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