A preview visit to the theatre

An original fictional information text for reading practice.

The theatre is planning short visits for people who want to become familiar with the building before attending a performance. The visits will take place while the auditorium is empty, so that a newcomer can explore without feeling that a queue is waiting behind them.

Visitors will follow the route from the entrance to their proposed seats. A photograph of the façade does not reveal the turns, changes of level and distances inside. They can also locate the toilets and the place where they should ask for assistance, rather than needing to search during a busy interval.

Staff will demonstrate the seat mechanism and explain which noises are usual when people enter the auditorium. An unexpected sound can be more unsettling when nobody has explained what causes it. A sample of the lighting changes will show how the room looks as a performance begins. It will not include every possible effect from a future production.

The theatre will provide a simple illustrated route sheet to take away. Family members who could not attend the visit can use it when discussing the later trip. Visitors may ask questions privately instead of feeling that they have to explain a personal concern in a crowd. The theatre hopes the visit will also let staff discover practical obstacles that a drawing of the building has missed.

Summarise, in your own words, what the theatre hopes its preview visits will achieve.