Artistic Director Paula Garfield today announces the world première of Everyday as part of Deafinitely Theatre’s 20th anniversary season – a new play written and directed by Garfield based on interviews conducted with deaf women who have survived domestic abuse.
Performed in BSL and spoken English for a deaf and hearing audience, commissioned by New Diorama Theatre opens at the venue on 20 May, with previews from 16 May, and runs until 11 June, ahead of a national tour with venues including Northern Stage.
Also, as part of the 20th anniversary season. the company launch Talking Hands – a series of brand-new digital films highlighting urgent, everyday stories affecting the deaf community. Full details will be announced shortly.
Paula Garfield said today, “We’re enormously proud of everything we have achieved over the past 20 years, creating world class theatre accessible to everyone. We begin our 20th anniversary season with Everyday – based on my interviews with deaf women who have survived domestic abuse. It’s a vital and necessary conversation, with instances of domestic abuse rising significantly as a result of the lockdowns of the past 18 months. Our intention is to raise awareness about violence against deaf women – an issue prevalent in our community with deaf twice as likely as their hearing peers to suffer domestic abuse, but also to address this important and challenging issue in a sensitive, and ultimately, uplifting manner.”
Four women come together to perform a ritual of community and catharsis. Gathering up true stories of deaf women’s experiences of surviving abuse, they form a witches’ coven like no other – with a cauldron of newt’s eyes and butterflies, deep scars and blazing signs.
For details on how to support Deafinitely Theatre visit:
https://www.deafinitelytheatre.co.uk/Pages/Appeal/Category/friends-scheme
