The Pied Piper Theatre Company and Deafinitely Theatre today announce the full cast of the Can Bears Ski? by the award-winning poet Raymond Antrobus in a new adaptation for the stage by Tina Williams.
It will be touring the 18 November to 25 February, with the press night on the 3 December at Hawth Studio, Crawley.
Tina Williams and Paula Garfield direct Ciaran O’Breen (BSL Teacher & David Bear), Emery Hunter (Little Bear), Jessica Warshaw (Audiologist), Nick Ash (Teacher Bear) and Zoë McWhinney (Speech & Language Therapist).
Tina Williams, the Artistic Director of the Pied Piper Theatre Company, who will co-direct the production said: “We’re thrilled and excited to announce our fantastic cast for this lovely and heart-warming production that we’re presenting with Deafinitely Theatre. Raymond Antrobus’ well-loved story comes to life this winter for all the family, featuring puppetry and music, as well as a fanciful set inspired by Polly Dunbar’s stunning illustrations that audiences will love.”
Raymond Antrobus MBE, the writer of Can Bears Ski?, said: “Seeing the colourful world from the pages of ‘Can Bears Ski?’ brought to life with actors is truly beautiful. This show isn’t just an opportunity to step into a world that deaf and hard of hearing children know well, it’s also an example for anyone to see how their own difference can be empowering.”
Paula Garfield, Co-Director and Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre said: “This is a collaboration that we’ve been looking forward to doing with our friends at The Pied Piper Theatre Company for some time – and brings together a hugely talented group of deaf and hearing actors creating onstage magic in British Sign Language and spoken English. All of these talented people will work together to tell this skilfully woven story about how children make sense of their experience when they don’t have the words to describe it.”
The story draws on the writer’s own experience as a deaf child in a hearing world with a set inspired by Polly Dunbar’s illustrations. The story is brought to life on stage with puppetry, music, British Sign Language and spoken English in a world première production for hearing and deaf young people aged 3+ and their families.
