Jennifer Murphy

Bamboozle Theatre Company is a charity based in Leicester, and known throughout the UK and internationally for creating immersive theatre experiences for disabled children. In a Bamboozle show, children are at the heart of the action. Every child is acknowledged and valued; each one enjoys individual attention. The approach generates a spark or two of pure unscripted magic. Bamboozle experiences are gentle, patient, immersive and inspirational. They use interactive, multi-sensory theatre to unlock moments of joy in children on the autistic spectrum or with profound or moderate learning disabilities. For parents and teachers, these moments often reveal new possibilities for their child. Success is no accident. The company’s techniques and teaching style – The Bamboozle Approach – have developed into a solid, evidence-based programme of training that’s making waves across the world. From Stevenage to Shanghai and Melbourne to Manchester, Bamboozle is helping teachers and performers bring theatre to an audience that generally gets a poor deal. At home, Bamboozle works with schools, theatres, and families to create fear-free environments in which children participate in their own way and at their own pace. While the shows are deceptively simple, the testing and thought processes behind them are rigorous. The outcome can be transformational, encouraging children to reach out in ways they’ve never done before and enabling whole families to play together, perhaps for the first time. If you’ve ever wondered whether theatre really can change lives, Bamboozle proves that it does. "The experience is full of sensory stimulation and beautiful participatory moments where each child felt important and like the only one in the room. It brought me to tears to witness the children interact, laugh out loud, overcome moments of fear, and ultimately have fun watching a show so accessible for them". Rain Rain at Portfield School