Courtesy GalaPro

My lifelong love of live theatre was being threatened by my hearing loss.  Even with my hearing aids I began to have trouble understanding the actors.  But now, thanks to an array of assistive systems, I am able to understand virtually every line.

There’s even an option that puts subtitles in the palm of your hand.

These technologies can make theatre accessible to people who have never gone to a play because of their hearing loss,  and to people who may have stopped going out of frustration.

As Ron Jacobson, the General Manager of Toronto’s renowned Royal Alexandra Theatre puts it, “These systems are for many people the difference between appreciating a show and not appreciating a show, so we offer several solutions.”

If you too suffer from hearing loss here’s a look at some of the available assistive systems:

Telecoil or Hearing Loop

Telecoil systems are the most common.  They can be found not only in theatres, but in meeting rooms, churches, lecture halls and even in London taxis.

In a nutshell, they produce a wireless signal that’s picked up by a necklace-like loop that connects to the wearer’s hearing aids.  What you hear comes directly from an actor’s microphone via the theatre’s soundboard which means it’s the best possible sound.

It’s important to note that not every model of hearing aid is able to receive telecoil signals and you should check to see if yours are capable.

Stethoset

This is essentially a simple amplification system that’s connected via an infrared signal.  As the name suggests, it looks similar to a stethoscope.

You place the earbuds directly into your ears.  You can control the volume but it’s likely only helpful to people with mild hearing loss since they are not connected to your hearing aids with their personalized settings.

MobileConnect

This system uses WIFI to deliver the sound to your smartphone and then on to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.  It was developed by Sennheiser and requires downloading an app for either iPhone or android. Search for Sennheiser MobileConnect app.

It’s also connected directly to the theatre’s soundboard.

GalaPro

GalaPro is a new, and unique option.  Essentially it’s like watching television with the closed captions turned on.  The dialogue is sent to your smartphone which you can either hold in your hand or mount in a special holder that attaches to your seat.  It uses a wifi system to deliver the captions via the app to your phone.

Betsy Selman of Sound Associates which installs the system says about 80 theatres are now equipped with GalaPro in North America.  That includes the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto. (Mirvish Accessibility)  More systems are now being installed in theatres in London’s West End.

Some advice

Theatres that offer accessibility devices usually have a limited number available so you should reserve one in advance.

GalaPro systems require a smartphone and the appropriate iPhone or Android app.  In the case of MobileConnect you will need the app and your hearing aids must also support a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone.

It’s important to note that not everyone is comfortable with the technology.  As Jacobson says,  “Some people have trouble with the technical side, using smartphones, setting up their hearing aids and so on.  And that could lead to frustration. So we offer as much support as we can.”

To avoid that frustration, I recommend that first you check with the theatre in advance to see which systems they offer.  Then check to see if your smartphone/hearing aids combination is compatible.