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Corn Exchange Newbury (CEN) is a medium-sized theatre venue in the south of England. Like many such venues, it has a tradition of staging a pantomime for the Christmas season. In 2017–2018, it offered Beauty and the Beast. Offering at least one 'relaxed performance' in the Christmas programme has become standard practice for most theatres. While some UK theatre companies have long pioneered work aimed at widening participation, mainstream theatres have woken up to the need to provide for audiences more recently. Children's memories of visiting the theatre can last an entire lifetime. However, due to the high levels of light, noise, and audience participation and the unsettling effect that this may have on children with autism. The idea of the visual story derives from the Social Story, a term coined by Carol Gray, a consultant on children with autistic spectrum disorders.
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