LORENZACCIO l David Bobée l Théâtre du Nord

Lorenzaccio: A masterpiece of accessibility

Thanks to the panthea.live system, “Lorenzaccio” is accessible to all audience members, including the blind, visually impaired, deaf, and hard-of-hearing.

Accessibility integrated from the outset and built for the long term

As director of the Théâtre du Nord in Lille, France, David Bobée has made accessibility a genuine artistic priority. For his production “Lorenzaccio”, in which accessibility was incorporated from the outset of the creative process, Bobée cast a deaf signing actor to play the role of Pierre Strozzi.

Panthea’s team helped the Théâtre du Nord to implement its panthea.live system, equipping the theatre with ten smart glasses and developing the accessible content offered to audiences. Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members could choose between descriptive surtitles or French Sign Language interpretation, both displayed in the smart glasses, while audio description was available via headsets for the blind and visually impaired.

Positive feedback from audiences and exciting plans for the future

Following 15 sold-out performances, including five with panthea.live, the theatre company behind “Lorenzaccio” is set to embark on a nationwide tour, bringing the production to numerous theatres across France next season. The tour promises an exciting development: this is the first time that a theatre company will travel with the panthea.live system, offering it systematically at every venue it visits.

This means that accessibility no longer depends on the technical equipment available at each theatre. Instead, accessibility tools are an integral feature of the production, transported alongside set and props and guaranteeing inclusive performances wherever a show is presented.

Header Image: Lorenzaccio | David Bobée | 2026 | ©Federic Lovino