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Hunter Heartbeat Courses | 2025

Actors performing a vibrant and expressive scene from a Flute Theatre production of Pericles, with colourful costumes and dynamic physical theatre, set against a backdrop of ancient stone arches.

Heartbeats on the Stage

For our specialised performances, up to 12 autistic participants sit with the Flute Theatre actors on the stage, and experience Shakespeare’s story through interactive sensory games, which everyone plays together. Each performance is adapted to the specific needs of each participant, however complex their needs may be.

A powerful moment from Pericles on the main stage, showing a bare-chested actor drenched in water, raising a soaked cloth and shouting with raw emotion. This intense performance captures the physical and emotional depth of Flute Theatre’s sensory Shakespeare adaptations for autistic individuals.

Pericles

Actors performing in Flute Theatre’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Five performers in rustic costumes and hats are seated or standing on stage in warm theatrical lighting, engaging with the audience in an inclusive Shakespeare performance.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Two actors in orange costumes joyfully holding hands and connecting through eye contact during a sensory-friendly performance of Twelfth Night by Flute Theatre, using the Hunter Heartbeat Method to engage autistic participants through Shakespeare.

Twelfth Night for Autistic People

A dark, minimal stage scene from Hamlet: Collateral Damage, with two actors under soft spotlights; one sits on the floor in a white shirt, while the other curls on the ground in despair, surrounded by scattered clothing and shoes, evoking a raw and intimate moment.

Hamlet Collateral Damage

A performer sits beside a young girl in an intimate theatre setting, engaging her in a calm and focused interaction while surrounded by percussion instruments.

The Tempest for autistic people

A close-up from the Hamlet main stage show (not for autistic audiences), featuring two actors in an intimate, tense moment. The man, wearing a white shirt and black tie draped loosely, smiles softly, while the woman, in a light pink wrap, has an expressive, slightly nervous smile under dramatic stage lighting.

Hamlet

A bearded actor in an open shirt smiles broadly while holding a cup, with another performer behind him extending their arms playfully in a joyful moment on stage.

The Tempest

A performer in a black dress is dramatically splashed with water on stage, reacting with surprise and intensity, while musicians play guitar and accordion in the dimly lit background.

Twelfth Night

A group of diverse performers and audience members, including wheelchair users and children, stand in a circle on a stage painted with a swirling galaxy design, engaging in an inclusive performance.

Pericles for autistic people & refugee families

Actors dressed in red move dynamically across the floor in a warm, immersive space, surrounded by an audience. This performance by Flute Theatre uses sensory-rich design and movement to make Shakespeare’s language accessible and inclusive.

A Midsummer Night's Dream for autistic people

A diverse group of performers energetically engage in a live Flute Theatre performance, using expressive gestures and movement on a dimly lit stage. The actors wear casual, comfortable clothing in natural tones, creating an inclusive and accessible environment tailored for autistic individuals. This performance, inspired by Shakespeare and adapted using the Hunter Heartbeat Method, highlights Flute Theatre’s commitment to neurodiverse storytelling. Audience members can be seen watching with interest in the background. Flute Theatre also offers training and courses for actors, educators, applied theatre students, and families to support autism-friendly performance practices.

Support our Theatre

Funding for the arts is currently said to be at a ‘terminal decline’ but we will continue to create our life changing opportunities whatever the challenges.  Please help us continue with a one off donation or a monthly subscription. Your donations go directly toward our performances with marginalised people and always will.

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