RNIB Connect

Extant, the UK’s leading professional performing arts company of blind and visually impaired artists, will return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer building on the success of its landmark 2025 programme. 
The company will present three Enhance shows alongside a new showcase, in partnership with Underbelly as principal venue partner on 18th August celebrating a number of the most exciting visually impaired-led performances including stand-up, cabaret, dance, theatre and new writing. 
Amelia Cavallo who will be presenting ‘An Evening with Tito Bone’ as part of the extant showcase gives RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey a bit about her background as a visually impaired Artist and more about ‘An Evening with Tito Bone’ as well as what people can expect from the Extant showcase at underbelly on 18 August 2026. 
To find out more about the Extant Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 programme including the three enhance shows and the showcase at Underbelly on 18 August 2026 do visit the company’s website - https://extant.org.uk
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Each week, RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell sits down with Simon Antrobus, CEO of RNIB, to look at some of the big stories coming from the UK sight loss charity.
This week Simon talks about the board of trustees visit to Edinburgh, tactile platform markers at Scottish train stations and why Kate Winslet spoke about an audio description problem in Northern Ireland.
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RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for another audio described theatre review.
We have a musical comedy made from the finest ingredients this week as the current tour of ‘Waitress’ visited the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre with description by Professional Audio Describer Nicola Williams. 
About ‘Waitress’
The five-star musical returns, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher
“Treat yourself to a slice of five-star musical pie” (The Times) with Carrie Hope Fletcher (Calamity Jane, Heathers, The Addams Family) as Jenna and Les Dennis as Old Joe for one week only! They’ll be joined by Sandra Marvin as Becky and Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn.
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of some happiness in her life. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness.
Brought to life by a ground-breaking, female-led creative team, this ‘warm, witty, wise and hilarious’ (Express) hit features ‘one of the best scores in years’ (The Stage) by the Grammy award-winning Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave) a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony® Award-winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland).
Having received standing ovations night after night in London’s West End and on Broadway, Waitress is ‘the real deal’ (Independent) musical comedy’.
For more about the current tour of ‘Waitress’ and details of performances near you do visit the production website - https://waitressthemusical.co.uk

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Have you ever thought of joining and singing in a choir as a blind or partially sighted person but wondered how accommodating the choir might be for you as a visually impaired singer?
Well, RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey recently caught up with blind Author and Broadcaster Selina Mills along with Jack Apperley, Conductor of the Goldsmiths Choral Union, as the choir were rehearsing for their up-coming ‘Poetry in Motion’ concert at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, London on Tuesday 16 June at 7.30pm featuring work by blind Jazz Composer George Shearing to find out how things have been for Selina singing with the choir and for Jack what it has been like working with a visually impaired singer too. 
To find out more about the Goldsmiths Choral Union and the ‘Poetry in Motion’ concert at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, London, Tuesday 16 June at 7.30pm do visit the choir’s website - https://www.goldsmithschoralunion.org
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Return to Tenerife to soak in the sunshine and eat delicous food with Jonathan Abro.
Listen to Travelogues every Wednesday on The Lunch Break from 12 noon to 1 pm.
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