Created by Hayley Earlam, Brrr will be presented at Edinburgh International Children’s Festival before transferring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase.

---

If you wouldn’t mind giving us an introduction to yourself, the creatives involved in the show, and the show itself.

My name is Hayley Earlam and I’m a sensory choreographer. I create immersive, multisensory work with a strong focus on accessibility, movement and sensory engagement.

My latest work, Brrr, is a sensory installation and dance production designed specifically for and with young audiences with complex needs aged 10-18. Inspired by the turbulence of winter, the production blends choreography, sound, textures, scent, lighting, immersive video, and lots of snow all within a giant inflatable dome.

The work was developed collaboratively with an incredible creative team. Many members of the team identify as disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent which meant that lived experience and care-informed practice influenced everything. From the rehearsal process to the design of the show, accessibility wasn’t an add-on, but a creative foundation. Accessibility became Brrr’s creative collaborator.

We also worked in close consultation with students and staff from Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools so the voices and responses of the intended audience shaped the development of the work from the very beginning.

At its heart, Brrr is about creating an environment where audiences can engage on their own terms. Rather than expecting audiences to adapt to traditional theatre conventions, such as sitting quietly and still in the dark, the work adapts itself to the audience and their individual needs.

What first sparked the idea for this piece, and how did you shape it into something that speaks directly to young audiences without alienating?

The initial spark came from wanting to rethink how theatre can be experienced by audiences who are often excluded from traditional performance spaces. I was particularly interested in how sensory theatre could create a bespoke theatrical experience for audiences with complex needs, creating something that wasn’t as an adapted or relaxed version, but as an artistic form in its own right.

From the very beginning, consultation with the audience became central to the process. We spent time in ASN schools testing ideas, exploring different responses, and observing how audiences interacted with different textures, movements, sounds and environments. If it wasn’t relevant or interesting to the audience, it didn’t make the final cut. Feedback from the audience made the work so much richer for having their involvement from the start.

What became most important to me was the recognition that young people with complex needs are the experts. For many people with complex needs, their navigation of the world is primarily sensorially driven, and they are well attuned to their sensory needs. Instead of imposing a fixed theatrical structure, Brrr was built around autonomy, flexibility and choice. Audiences can move, stim, leave and return, vocalise or engage from a distance without judgement.

---

What creative choices became essential in bringing your world to life?

The inflatable dome was one of the most important creative choices because of its immersive quality: it completely transforms a theatre or school hall into another world. It creates a contained, calming and sensory environment where audiences feel enveloped in the experience rather than observing from a distance.

We also focused heavily on multisensory design. The production uses tactile materials like sherpa fleece, beanbags, memory foam, weighted blankets and inflatable seating to support proprioceptive and vestibular sensory experiences. Scent became another important layer; we use mint-scented snowballs to evoke winter and to ignite the olfactory sense (smell).

Choreographically, the use of improvisation and responsiveness were essential. The performers work mostly with movement scores rather than fixed choreography, allowing them to respond directly to audience interaction in real time. That flexibility means every performance can be slightly different depending on the audience’s needs and energy in the space.

The balance between beauty and accessibility was also really important to me. I didn’t want accessibility to feel clinical, instead, I wanted the environment to feel magical, immersive, aesthetically beautiful and beautifully accessible.

What reactions or moments of engagement have you already had from people for the show, or are hoping they’ll take away from your performance?

One of the most moving things has been seeing audiences engage in ways that feel completely authentic to them. We’ve had moments where audience members spontaneously joined in with movement or became deeply absorbed in the textures, sounds or atmosphere of the dome.

Sometimes the most powerful responses are very subtle, such sustained eye contact or a moment of calm, even an audience’s choice to take a break from the performance is powerful. Those moments say so much without using words. In one performance, an audience member fell asleep, typically this would be something theatre makers aim not to happen. We were informed this young person rarely slept so to witness them that relaxed was a massive achievement for the work.

I also hope the caring adults including support staff, teachers and families feel welcomed by the work. Traditional theatre spaces can sometimes feel restrictive or anxiety-inducing for disabled audiences and their companions, so creating an environment where people feel safe, seen, and free to respond honestly has been incredibly important.

---

Does your production, or the team’s background or creative process, shape the way this story is told? If you could describe your show in one image or feeling — the moment you hope stays with audiences long after they leave — what would it be, and why?

Absolutely. The production is deeply shaped by the team’s collaborative practice, as well as sensory theatre methodologies, but most importantly consulting with the audience throughout development of the work had the most impact on the finished production.

The creative process itself became relational; I quickly learned that as the choreographer I couldn’t control the performance and I had to shift to building a responsive environment where audiences, environment and performers could co-exist. That fundamentally shaped the storytelling of Brrr.

If I had to describe the lasting image of Brrr, it would probably be the feeling of being cosy inside whilst outside snow is gently falling. The feeling of being surrounded by movement, light, texture, and quiet wonder whilst time starts to slow down.

For me, that feeling represents the whole ethos of the piece: connection without pressure, immersion without barriers, and the idea that theatre can be a shared sensory experience rather than something observed from a distance.

---

Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’