Whoosh! By Sensorium Theatre

Whoosh! is an interactive sensory space adventure for young explorers with disability. It is an immersive performance that puts children at the centre of the action. Kids board a stunning custom-built spaceship to co-pilot an interstellar adventure.

New recruits take up their own tech stations, taste real space food, propel through hyperdrive, crash-land and explore a strange uncharted planet. Characters and audience work as a team to repair the ship and return to Earth.

This highly tailored production is suitable for children with a range of disabilities aged 5 – 10, including children with multiple and complex disabilities and children with autism. The performance is fully accessible for children with wheelchairs.

This specially designed production is suitable for children with a range of disabilities aged 5 – 10, including those with multiple and complex disabilities and children with autism. The performance is fully accessible for children with wheelchairs.

The 10am performance is recommended for children with autism and the 12pm performance is recommended for children with a profound and multiple disabilities.

Sensorium Theatre is Australia’s only company creating work for young audiences with multiple and complex disabilities and with autism.

Audience numbers are deliberately small. Each performance caters for up to 14 children.

The best way to prepare your child for the experience is by downloading Sensorium Theatre’s FREE digital app on Google Play (for Android devices) or on the App Store (for iPads and iPhones). Through the digital app, you can access the social story, watch videos, play games, meet the characters and listen to music clips. To view the digital app on a computer screen or an interactive whiteboard, click here.

To help prepare you and your child for what to expect at Arts Centre Melbourne, take a look at Plan Your Visit videos. The information covered in these videos includes an introduction to Arts Centre Melbourne, getting here by public transport or car, what to do when you arrive, getting around our venues as well as what to expect before, during and after a performance.

Whoosh! is a highly accessible work designed for children with multiple and complex disabilities and children with autism. Pre-show warnings are included in the digital app and described in a child friendly way, see the previous question for more information on how to download it.

Elements of the performance to be aware of are:
Sound and Light Effects
There are potentially exciting sound and light changes in Whoosh! that are announced as part of the show. The digital app helps to prepare children for these moments. These include:

• Blast Off – light non-allergenic fog haze
• Emergency Landing – slow moving red lights and siren
• Planet X – UV Light and low fog haze

Space Food Menu
During the show, our crew will share some "space food" with the children. Please read the ingredients below and let us know pre-show of any food limitations, allergies, and those who are NIL by mouth.

• Condensed milk – milk, cane sugar
• Freeze dried strawberries
• Whipped cream – cream (from milk), sugar, propellant gas (nitrous oxide), emulsifier 471, stabiliser (carrageenan), natural vanilla extract

Essential Oils
Essential oils are diffused in the environment. In the spaceship, we diffuse essential oils of juniper and peppermint. In the planet, we use a “serenity blend” which includes lavender, bergamot, frankincense, geranium, vetiver, chamomile, sandalwood, clary sage. Let us know pre-show as these can be modified to accommodate allergies.

Children’s independence will be encouraged in the performance. Adults are encouraged to observe from outside the spaceship through special viewing windows or live camera feed. Alternatively, adults can support children by playing along in the adventure as co-astronauts inside the spaceship.

It is ok for children to enjoy the performance in their own way (sing, dance, call out, move around) as long as everyone is safe. There is a viewing porthole just outside the spaceship for children who need a break.

Children coming to Whoosh! must be accompanied by an adult parent or carer. The accompanying adult ticket is included in the ticket price.

If the performers need a child to stop what they are doing, they will let them know or ask the parent or carer accompanying the child to help.

As these two performances have a limited capacity, we will prioritise including children between the ages of 5 – 10 with multiple, complex disabilities and with autism.

If it is important for your child’s experience that their sibling (between the ages of 5 – 10) also be able to participate, please do get in touch. We may be able to accommodate this. For queries regarding sibling being able to participate, please note this on the Audience Information Form, which will be sent to you after your booking, or email community@artscentremelbourne.com.au.

If a sibling is above or below this age range we recommend they observe from outside the spaceship through special viewing windows or live camera feed. Whoosh! is not suitable for children above or below the ages 5 – 10.

Children coming to Whoosh! must be accompanied by an adult parent or carer. The accompanying adult ticket is included in the $50 ticket price.

Additional adults and siblings are welcome to attend with a child and carer as observers at no cost. Note that these additional observers will be located outside the main performance area within the Pavilion, and will view the performance through the special viewing windows or via a live camera feed.

Observers won’t require a ticket but you will need to indicate the number of positions required clearly on your application form to enable us to manage capacity of the venue. The maximum number of observers per child is 4, if more are required however, please request this in your application and depending on capacity we may be able to accommodate.

After booking your tickets, you will be sent a form to complete about your child. Sensorium Theatre request this information so that they can tailor the performance to your child. The information required after booking is:

• Child’s First Name
• Child’s Age
• Does your child have any additional needs you would like our artists to be aware of to tailor the performance? (communication preferences, verbal/non-verbal, receptive language, sensory impairment, relevant behavioural issues (eg. may get physical when upset), relevant medical issues (eg. fragile bone syndrome))
• Does your child have any allergies?
• Is your child a wheelchair user?

We will treat this information with confidentiality. If you have any concerns or questions about this please contact us.

The performance is taking place in the Pavilion, which is located in Arts Centre Melbourne’s Theatres building (the one with the spire) on Level 8. Located here.

By tram
Trams that stop in front of Arts Centre Melbourne, "Arts Precinct" stop number 14: 1, 3, 3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72. This tram stop is fully accessible for people who use wheelchairs. Visit the PTV website to find out if your tram route has low floor trams.

By train
Get off at Flinders Street Station in the Melbourne CBD and walk for a few minutes along St Kilda Road, over Princess Bridge and the Yarra River.

By car
You can park in the Arts Centre Melbourne car park. All levels of the Arts Centre Melbourne car park are fully wheelchair accessible. Accessible parking bays are clearly marked and available on both levels. Please display your valid Disabled Persons Parking Permit. The Arts Centre Melbourne’s car park entrance is accessible from Sturt Street. Please note our car park has a strict height restriction of 1.9m.

Street car parks – there are four accessible parking spaces in St Kilda Road out the front of Arts Centre Melbourne.

By hired bus
There is bus parking available in St Kilda Road opposite Arts Centre Melbourne. If you would like to reserve bus parking, please visit Melbourne Council Parking Permit. There are also limited accessible parking spaces out the front of Arts Centre Melbourne.

Discount parking vouchers are available for this performance. This voucher will reduce your parking fee to a flat rate of $14. Please take a ticket as you enter the carpark and you can request vouchers from ushers at the performance to reduce the fee charged.

Please ask venue staff for the closest accessible toilet to your location. In the Theatres Building, there are accessible toilets on Level 3, 5, 6 and 8. In Hamer Hall, there are accessible toilets on every level.

The most convenient accessible toilet for the Pavilion is located on Level 8 opposite the Pavilion.

There is a Changing Places (accessible public toilets with full sized change tables and hoists) located in Hamer Hall on Level 3.

Food may be eaten in the foyer of the Pavilion, on the lawn area between the Theatres Building and Hamer Hall or in the Queen Victoria Gardens opposite Arts Centre Melbourne.

Food and drink is not permitted inside the performance space.

Please call 1300 182 183.