All-deaf theatre group stages wordless reimagining of The Tempest

An all-deaf cast in Regina is presenting The Deaf Tempest, a wordless reimagining of Shakespeare's The Tempest that uses physical theatre, puppetry, projections and vibratory sound; the production runs at the Regina Performing Arts Centre until Saturday.

The Deaf Tempest is running in Regina this week as a wordless reimagining of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The entire cast is deaf or hard of hearing. The production preserves the original plot and characters while removing spoken and signed language. It is presented by the Deaf Crows Collective, which evolved from the company’s 2016 sold-out run of Deaf Crows. Production details: - The Deaf Tempest adapts The Tempest using imagery and physical storytelling rather than speech or formal sign presentation. - The entire cast is deaf or hard of hearing and the show is produced by the Deaf Crows Collective. - Assistant director Michelle Grodecki, who works as an American Sign Language interpreter for the actors, described the work as having a "deaf lens" and said the production removes signed and spoken language. - Performers rely on facial expression, movement and body work to convey metaphor and emotion; actor Matty Molloy plays Ariel. - The production incorporates puppetry, projections and vibratory sound, and the company says there is no speaking, signing or closed captioning in the performance. - The play is scheduled at the Regina Performing Arts Centre and runs through Saturday. Summary: The production is presented as a step forward for inclusive theatre practice by offering a fully sensory, language-independent presentation of a Shakespeare play. It is onstage at the Regina Performing Arts Centre through Saturday.