"Tribes" opens Off-Broadway

Nina Raine's strong drama about being a deaf outsider in a hearing family opens writes Joe Dziemianowicz for New York Daily News (05/03/12)

Toward the end of “Tribes,” Sylvia, a young woman who works for a charity, admits: “I love being ironic.”

So does Nina Raine, the London author of this spirited and provocative drama about a British family of big thinkers and bigger talkers obsessed with self-expression who’ve made it hard for one member to communicate.

Ironic, no? So it goes for twentysomething Billy (Russell Harvard), who was born deaf and lip-reads as his noisy clan clucks about their work. His mom and dad, Beth and Christopher (Mare Winningham and Jeff Perry), are authors, brother Daniel (Will Brill) is wrestling with his thesis about language, and sister Ruth (Gayle Rankin) is an aspiring opera singer. Billy has never had a job.

Then he meets Sylvia (Susan Pourfar), who’s slowly losing her hearing. He finds love and employment and learns sign language, something dismissed — almost unbelievably — by his bohemian family as conventional. Signing scenes are woven throughout the play with the use of supertitles.

In short order, Billy delivers an ultimatum to a family that has been deaf to his needs.
“Tribes” covers many themes, from the wonders and failings of families to notions of identity to the hierarchy within the deaf world. Frankly, there are so many explicit allusions to language that “Tribes” comes off too packaged for its own good.

But ample compensations are Raine’s smarts and wit. The intimacy of the story plays to the strengths of director David Cromer, whose sterling take on “Our Town” ran a couple years ago in the same venue.

Cromer’s staging clicks, as does the entire cast. Winningham oozes empathy, and Pourfar is especially lovely conveying Sylvia’s fear and anger about losing a part of herself.
In the key role of Billy, Harvard, who was born deaf, creates a moving portrait of a man torn between worlds. Words can't do justice to his portrayal, and there is nothing ironic in that statement.

Venue: Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St NEW YORK. Price: $75 Phone: (212) 868-4444

Norwich Theatre Royal praised for its signed performances

A Norwich arts venue has been praised for its signed and captioned performances that give deaf people the opportunity to enjoy a range of top theatre shows in Norwich writes Emma Knights for Norwich Evening News (20/01/12).

Legally Blonde, Swallows and Amazons, and Oliver! are among shows coming to Norwich Theatre Royal this year which will have performances with translations by British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. Other shows will have captioned performances, where the words of the show’s scripts are displayed on a screen.

Sue Moore, from Deaf Connexions which is based in Norwich, has praised the theatre’s efforts to open up theatre opportunities to people with hearing loss.
She said: “The signed performances give deaf people equal access to the theatre which is brilliant. I know lots of people have really enjoyed the shows, and some people particularly look forward to watching specific interpreters.” She said the number of deaf people watching shows at the theatre was increasing, and this year’s line-up of signed shows was really exciting.

Freelance BSL interpreter Andy Higgins, who last did a signed performance of Avenue Q at the Theatre Royal and will be returning to sign Oliver! in August, explained the interpreter’s role was not always about literal script translations, but also about conveying the subtext and overall meanings. He said interpreters often added an element of characterisation to differentiate between the characters and to direct the audience to watch the actors during visual moments such as slapstick in pantomime. He said: “It is a privilege to interpret for the shows. It is about equality for deaf people, and it really does raise awareness.”

The theatre’s recent pantomime Sleeping Beauty included a sequence where the cast did a signed Abba medley.

Signed performances at the theatre include: Legally Blonde (March 2), Swallows and Amazons (March 17), Propeller (May 12), and Oliver! (August 3). Captioned performances include: English Touring Opera’s Eugene Onegin (April 11), Birds of a Feather (June 14) and Oliver! (July 18).

Headsets to amplify sound and a necklace sound enhancer which taps into the T setting on hearing aids are also available.

For more details and to book tickets visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk or call 01603 630000. For details of other signed performances in Norfolk and across the country visit www.bsltickets.co.uk

Innovative Solution To Improve Access To Theatre for Deaf

1 in 6 people are left out of the arts! Innovative solution to improve access to theatre for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing comes to the Isle of Man writes Paul Watson, Manx.net (07/10/11).

As part of Disability Awareness Week (31 October – 5 November) the Manx Deaf Society is delighted to announce that captioning (subtitling) equipment has been purchased for permanent use in the Isle of Man, greatly improving access to theatre entertainment for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.

Judith Ley, on behalf of the Manx Deaf Society, said “Due to the generosity of a private family trust, the Isle of Man now has portable professional equipment that enables the spoken word to be converted into visible text that provides deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people with access to live theatre performances – and because the captioning unit is portable, it can be used in venues around the Island to benefit the maximum number of people”

Hon David Cretney MHK, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure said, “Improving access to leisure activities is a key policy of the Department. The sign-language interpreted performances of shows has proved to be extremely popular and I am delighted that, in addition to these, a captioning facility is now available. I know that it will greatly improve the experience of visiting the theatre for people with hearing difficulties as well as attracting for the first time those who have never been able to comfortably follow a show at the theatre.”

To demonstrate how the captioning equipment works, there will be a showcase event at the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday 1 November at 8pm. The general public is invited to attend and entry is free.

As an introduction to how the system works, the Legion Players will be performing a 10-minute preview of their upcoming play – RC Sherriff’s WWI classic ‘Journey’s End’ (the play is on at the Gaiety Theatre from 17-19 November, tickets on sale now priced £10). The Legion Players will also be the first to use the equipment during a fully captioned performance of Journey’s End at 2.30pm on 19 November.

Stephanie Gray, Chairman of the Legion Players, said “The Society is absolutely delighted to support the launch of the new captioning equipment, and to put it to full use in its forthcoming production. Communicating fully the text of a play or musical is vital. This new equipment will enable drama and music groups throughout the Island to engage with those who have previously been discouraged from attending productions and shows. Our sincere thanks to the Manx Deaf Society for making this possible.”