A north-east campaigner is calling on more venues across Scotland to emulate Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre (HMT) and put on autism-friendly pantomimes.
Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald was successful in persuading HMT to produce a more relaxed performance of Cinderella last year.
Aberdeen Performing Arts has this year agreed this year to perform an autism-friendly performance of Beauty and the Beast and similar shows are taking place at pantomimes in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Mr McDonald’s six-year-old son, Malcolm, suffers from the condition which affects how people communicate and relate to others and the world around them.
The SNP politician said too many children were missing out on the pantomime tradition because shows are often too loud and bright.
Autism-friendly performances include subduing pyrotechnics, strobe lighting and other loud noises, creating a more relaxed and informal atmosphere and laying on support for any audience members who become anxious.
Mr McDonald said he was delighted that the idea was taking off and urged other theatre companies to follow suit.
“I am now calling on all panto organisers across Scotland to look at what we’ve achieved in Aberdeen to think about how they can adapt their pantomimes to allow people with autism to enjoy their show as well,” he said.
“All it takes are small but important adjustments to make the joy of theatre as inclusive as possible and I hope to see many more organisers follow in Aberdeen’s lead.”