about Sensory Cinders

Sensory Cinders is a new sensory pantomime adaptation of Cinderella for audiences living with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), featuring original music that explores themes of identity, self-expression, transformation, magic, personas, authenticity, and connectedness. What does it mean to pursue self-love and understanding in a world that doesn’t understand you?

Sensory Cinders marks the first West End show and the first inclusive sensory pantomime specifically designed for audiences labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). The production features specially designed sensory materials by Henshaws Arts & Crafts, a Yorkshire-based collective supporting local learning-disabled visual artists. The show marks all the artists’ professional theatre debuts.

Sensory Cinders is a co-production from multi-award-winning sensory theatre company, Concrete Youth and nationally-recognised venue, Barnsley Civic. The production is presented in partnership with @sohoplace & Henshaws Arts Centre. Sensory Cinders is supported by Sheffield Theatres and Arts Council England. The production’s development was supported by the National Theatre’s Generate programme.

Henshaws Arts Centre
Henshaws Arts Centre is a Yorkshire-based arts centre that support learning disabled visual artists. Concrete Youth and Barnsley Civic is working with Henshaws and commissioning their learning disabled visual artists to work with our world-renowned design teams to design, develop and make the sensory materials for the production – allowing our learning disabled audiences to experience sensory materials made by learning disabled artists. The production will mark the professional theatre design debuts of all artists from Henshaws.