Bilingual Vignettes On Stage

Bilingual Vignettes On Stage

In early 2016, Equal Voices Arts will tour the North Island with their successful bilingual collection of stories for Deaf and hearing audiences, At The End Of My Hands.

This physically bold piece of original theatre explores stories about Deaf culture, communication and the unique history of Sign Language in New Zealand. This 'beautifully staged and heartfelt' piece (Theatreview, 2015) is one of the first in Aotearoa to place both English and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) on stage equally. The piece is performed with no formal interpretation between languages, and inspired by the possibilities, the performers have created a rich live theatre experience accessible to both Deaf and hearing audiences.

At The End Of My Hands is directed by Laura Haughey, a British practitioner who recently relocated to Waikato to teach Theatre Studies at the University. She has a background in inclusive theatre and has worked in Deaf-led theatre in the UK and Europe. She was excited to find so many talented Deaf performers in Aotearoa who were ready to raise the level of inclusive practice to an international standard. She says of the process: “Beginning a devising process which crosses cultures and languages needs to find a starting point where we can move from, so we started by telling stories. Stories about communication, culture, making friends, Deaf culture, the oppression of Sign Languages, were all explored and told, without words and signs at first – just using our bodies. Signs and words followed, as did visual vernacular, gestural storytelling and universal modes of expression.”

The production has had short seasons in Hamilton and Auckland, and will be returning to both cities, as well as presenting in Wellington for the first time. Every performance is accompanied by a formally interpreted Q&A forum between the creators of the piece and the audience. Performer Alex Lodge says this forum is her favourite part of every performance, as it “allows the audience to become part of the performed conversation between two cultures, in a supportive setting. It’s a serious issue, but we get to show how playful the space between languages can be, so it’s not a serious or scary way of talking about it.”

New Zealand Sign Language and English are presented in the piece equally but distinctly, and the stories range from comical failed seductions to sobering classroom oppression. Haughey notes that “the Deaf audience get a slightly different narrative to the hearing audience, and this is deliberate. Most of the Deaf audience know these stories, they know sign languages worldwide were banned, they know what that oppression has done to the development of the language and cultures in the Deaf communities worldwide. For most of our hearing audience, these stories are new, and shocking. And watching alongside a Deaf audience changes their perceptions hugely.”

Directed by Laura Haughey
Musical Direction by Andy Duggan
Dramaturgy by Bill Hopkinson & Alex Lodge

Produced by Kayte Shaw

Performed by
Shaun Fahey
Joanne Klaver
Mihailo Ladjevac
Alex Lodge
Kelly Quirke
Kylie Willis

Kindly supported by the New Zealand Sign Language Fund, with thanks to the University of Waikato and Edge Hill University.

Workshops:

To complement the production Equal Voices Arts are running inclusive theatre workshops. Co-led by Deaf and hearing practitioners, through the mediums of Sign Language and English, these 90 minute workshops will explore physical storytelling, and working through the body on stage, founded in psychophysical actor training. They are open to Deaf and hearing performers, storytellers and practitioners of any experience level.

The workshops are free, but spaces are limited so booking is essential. Reserve a place by emailing: alex@equalvoices.co.uk.

Please give some indication of your level of experience and why this workshop interests you.

DATES:

Wellington Workshops:

BATS Theatre, Jan 27th

Workshop #1: 2pm – 3.30pm

Workshop #2: 6.30pm – 8pm

Auckland Workshops:

TAPAC, Feb 4th

Workshop #1: 2pm – 3.30pm

Workshop #2: 6.30pm – 8pm

Hamilton Workshops:

Playhouse Theatre

Workshop #1: 2pm – 3.30pm

Workshop #2: 6.30pm – 8pm

At The End Of My Hands 2016 tour dates:

Wellington, BATS Theatre: 28th – 30th Jan

Auckland, TAPAC: 5th – 6th Feb

Hamilton, Playhouse Theatre: 12th – 13th Feb

http://www.equalvoices.co.uk/blog/2016-new-zealand-tour-of-at-the-end-of-my-hands/

ENDS

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