On 19th November 2025 Ampetronic | Listen Technologies were honoured to be guests at “A Perfect Show for Rachel” at Contact Theatre, Manchester. I, Marcio Leiria, along with my colleague Adam Stringer, joined James Mander from the Ewing Foundation and Adam Steed from Contact Theatre. We took our seats in a packed auditorium, ready not just for theatre, but for a powerful demonstration of accessibility in action.
We were especially pleased to meet Sarah Armstrong, CEO of the Ewing Foundation, who has played such a vital role in enabling this moment. Thanks to the Ewing Foundation’s generous support, Contact Theatre has become one of the first theatres in England to install Auri™, the first Auracast™ broadcast audio-based solution for assistive listening.
What the Show Is About
“A Perfect Show for Rachel” is an exuberant, challenging, and deeply affectionate piece of theatre. On its surface, it is a celebration of Rachel’s quirks, her love of theatre, her humour, her family memories, and yes, the joy of her sister heckling her. But the show goes far beyond that. It is a tapestry of live music, physical theatre, improvisation, and unscripted moments.
There are many actors on stage, shifts in tone, spontaneous scenes, and a constant exchange of energy with the audience. The performance feels alive, unpredictable, and raw. Part of the show is scripted and part is improvised, a balance that makes the experience feel both intimate and expansive.
Importantly, it is also BSL interpreted. The scripted moments are captioned and interpreted in British Sign Language, and the improvised moments are BSL interpreted as well. This commitment speaks volumes. The show is accessible not by accident, but by design.
Experiencing Auracast™ in Action
What made the evening even more special for us was being able to experience Auri™ in full flow. Contact’s main Space 1 auditorium is now Auracast™ enabled.
As the lights went down, the audio mix we heard from the stage did not just come from the PA. The microphones captured every voice, instrument, and improvised moment and sent them to the mixing desk, which shaped the full performance before feeding it into the Auri™ TX2N transmitter. From there, the Auracast™ broadcast delivered the stream straight to our devices with clarity that carried the entire show to our ears. For a performance this complex to compile into a single stream, that seamless delivery is no small feat.
Our Own Experience
We explored different listening options on the night, including Auri™ receivers and several third party Auracast™ compatible devices. For audiences who do not have Auracast™ enabled hearing aids or earbuds, Contact ensures access for all by providing Auri™ receivers at their box office.
I used my iPhone 12 Pro, and even though it doesn’t natively support Auracast™, the assistant app made it effortless. I opened the app, selected the Auracast™ broadcast, and the earbuds connected directly to the stream without any barriers. This flexibility is the true power of Auracast™. Whether you are using hearing aids or headphones, you can access the same stream in the way that suits you.
Why This Matters
Hearing a show clearly in a theatre is about more than volume. It is about being fully present. When sound sources are captured by microphones, mixed by sound designers, and delivered through Auracast™, you hear a purity of dialogue, music, and ambience that brings the performance closer.
In a show as dynamic and improvisational as “A Perfect Show for Rachel” where live music, unexpected moments, and emotional shifts are constant, the clarity delivered by Auri™ makes a measurable difference. It brings you into the performance rather than placing you at the edge of it.
Beyond that, what we witnessed was a commitment to inclusion. BSL interpretation, Auracast™ broadcast assistive listening, relaxed performance elements, and a culture of accessibility all working together. Contact Theatre is not just enabling access, they are modelling inclusive audio by design.
Broader Applications: Not Just for Theatres
This kind of technology has value far beyond theatre. Imagine Auracast™ in conference venues, lecture halls, public transport hubs, or any space where shared audio matters. Hearing aids, cochlear implants and headphones can all connect, making audio accessible to everyone in the way they prefer or need.
That is the magic of Auracast™. The same broadcast, delivered to the devices people already carry, personalised to their needs.
Final Thoughts
Our evening at Contact left me inspired. Seeing performance, technology, and charitable support come together to create a truly inclusive experience was powerful. The energy on stage, the improvisation, the honesty, all grounded by crystal clear personalised audio for every listener in the room.
Thank you to James Mander, Adam Steed, Sarah Armstrong, and everyone at the Ewing Foundation and Contact Theatre for making this possible.