Barrier(s) by Eloise Pennycoat spotlights two things still rarely seen on stage: a story focusing on a largely happy queer relationship, while simultaneously a tale of deaf resilience. The writer forces hearing audiences to listen to the struggles of the deaf community and will stop at nothing to do so, literally tearing up her own script in the process.
The play is far more than a diversity tick box exercise, however. It tenderly portrays a partnership spanning two languages, immersive enough that we almost forget the absence of spoken English. After hearing Alana (Em Prendergast) meets deaf Katie (Zoë McWhinney) at a kids’ birthday party, their romance unfolds. We see first their struggles to communicate, Alana sends a voice note to Katie and promptly deletes it, and later watch their connection deepen to marriage, and hope of a family. It’s sweet, without being saccharine, backed by cartoonish screen sets and gentle piano music.
And what a treat it is to watch these two dream. Both actors move convincingly between optimism and realism, Katie marvels at the idea of raising a deaf child while Alana has understandable concerns about bringing them into an unforgiving world. Barrier(s) therefore speaks to the marginalised desire to celebrate our identities, wishing to block out the harsh outside world.
That’s not to say that the play shies away from the hardship faced by the deaf community. In fact, Pennycoat brings it front and centre in the second act: the deaf school Katie teaches at is threatened with closure while she battles with an NHS that consistently fails to cater to people with disabilities. Not only that, we are witness to a dramatic fourth wall break at the show’s conclusion, which genuinely made my heart race, where the writer refuses to let the actors play out the trauma of her own creation. It’s a bold choice, and a little sad that the immersion is broken, but I certainly respect Pennycoat’s commitment to making a point.
As a hearing audience member, Barrier(s) was a stark reminder of the accessibility issues facing the deaf community. It made me consider challenges I had never before, particularly the need to focus on both an interpreter or captions and live stage action, without feeling preached to in the slightest. While the ending won’t be for everyone, the show is a tender portrayal of an interabled queer couple, something I’d love to see more of in future.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
