Deaf Arts News in the North West
Deaf Arts Day
Saturday 1st December, 11.30am to 8.30pm
Merseyside Deaf Centre, Queens Drive, Liverpool
- Free Refreshments and John Smith Show for Daytime Participants
- Subject to numbers in the hall during the day,
- £5 payable at the door for John Smith Show Only at 6.30pm.
- There are no reservations for John Smth Show - First Come First Served
- To book - Contact Rebecca-Anne or Barry (Minicon 0151 703 2256 - Fax 0151 708 9355 - Email deafarts@nwdaf.co.uk) for a Booking form
Liverpool, historically has always seen itself living on the edge. Looking outwards across the sea, rather than inwards and conforming to the rest of the UK. This is what makes it a vibrant and innovative city. In recent histories, the Beats of the Swinging 60's, football tactical dominant of both Everton and Liverpool in the 70's, reviews of inner cities after the Toxteth riots on the 80's, Cream, the youth culture of the 90's and now in the Naughties, Liverpool is hosting the European Capital of Culture in 2008.
Liverpool culture is driven by its people and so is Deaf Arts and Culture. Like all Liverpool people, Deaf people are very outspoken, expressive, humorous and ready for a good time. While the rest of the country's Deaf Club numbers are falling, Liverpool is thriving. It is from this cultural root, arts are created.
The DaDaFest (Disabled and Deaf Arts Festival) is one of only three regular festivals featuring Deaf artists in the UK. Edinburgh (as part of the Festival Fringe) and London Xposure: both of these are managed by non-Deaf and Disabled people. Last year, there was team of Deaf and Disabled people managing over 40 events. Deaf involvement included, Deafinietly Theatre's Dysfunction, Fingersmiths' In Praise of Fallen Women, Caroline Parker's Signs of a Diva, Nasty Girls' Nasty Night Out, Jim McLaughlin's sculptures in partnership with Liverpool Biennial's "Living on the Edge" and The Visual Extravaganza - Deaf Cultural Celebrations which featured Ramesh Meyyappan, John Smith, Rebecca-Anne Withey, MerseySign Deaf Theatre and Young Roots.
The Deaf Arts Cultural events are entirely organised by Deaf people. And this year, there will be a Deaf Arts Day at Merseyside Deaf Centre. There will be Deaf Artists coming to give a taster of their work and deliver workshops. Also there will be some serious discussion, lead by Gill Winstanley, into officially forming a new Deaf Arts Agency. It will be the first time such an agency has been formed and lead by Deaf people.
Deaf Artists featuring in Deaf Arts Day
Olivier Jamin - Contemporary Artist
Sunny Channa - Multimedia Artist
Ruth Montgomery - Musician
Jane Atkinson - Photographer
Sunnah Gulamani - Musician
Fiona Bigg - Musician and Dancer
Wayne Sharples - Dancer
Young Roots - Sign Dance Theatre
Rebecca-Anne Withey - Dancer
Frank Essery - Comedy Actor
BazzaDeaf - Comedy Actor
John Smith - Comedian
Troi Lee - Musician and Rave Event Organiser
MerseySign Deaf Theatre - Community Deaf Theatre
Deaf Artists with Liverpool Connections
Ramesh Meyyappan
Singapore born Ramesh graduated in Community Arts at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (also known as the Paul McCartney School) He is wowing the audience worldwide with his excellent Physical Theatre.
Denise Armstrong
Currently the Artistic Director of Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre, based in Liverpool. Laban-trained Denise has been performing both as a soloist and with Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre in Europe, South America, USA and India.
Rebecca-Anne Withey
Recently graduated in Dance at University of Wolverhampton but most of her work has been in Liverpool. Now started a new Dance Company called "RAWdance" She performed in hit BBC TV show, Grange Hill, filmed by Mersey TV (rechristened Lime Films).
Frank Essery
Liverpool born Frank, studied Theatre of the Deaf at Reading University. He was involved in various theatre companies such as Show of Hands, Tandem, Mockbeggar and in films such as Silent Film and Soul Suitcase (Canada). After a few years "resting" he performed a solo comedy in British Sign Language.
Anne Cunningham
Anne is one of the Nasty Girls, an award winning group of Disabled Women who cause havoc with their brand of comedy. She has won awards for her media skills in producing short films.
BazzaDeaf
The mystery Deaf Artist whose only claim to fame is as "Extra No. 3" on Channel 4's Brookside. However, he has directed plays and musicals for the Deaf Community in Newcastle. As a writer, his poem "Deaf not Daft" was performed at a BDA Deaf Awareness Week Launch at the National Theatre, London.
Jim McLaughlin
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Jim is a nationally recognised expert sculptor and letterer, one of the best in the country. James manufactures a range of classic garden ornaments and furniture in cast stone and produces small and large sculptures in plaster of paris, cold cast bronze and genuine bronze. Another facet of his work is in the restoration and reproductions of old damaged sculptures
Deaf Arts Groups
Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre
A Deaf Culturally lead Dance company, based in Liverpool for more than ten years. Although formed in London in 1986, it was in Liverpool 2001, when the Deaf artists took over the running of the company. Their work is innovatively expressive with Deaf culture overtones that is also inclusive for non-signers.
MerseySign Deaf Theatre
A community-lead theatre based at Merseyside Deaf Centre. Its style of comic theatre is much appreciated by BSL Users in Liverpool. They come up with a new performance yearly.
Previous News
The Visual Extravaganza, Deaf Culture Celebration planned for 24th November 2007 at the Contact Theatre, Manchester has been cancelled. For reasons beyond my control, the Contact Theatre has given us the 90 seater theatre space rather than the main one. With more than 200 plus people coming from all over the UK, I had no choice but to cancel.
However, on December 1st, there will be a Deaf Arts Day at Merseyside Deaf Centre, perhaps the UK's original Deaf Culture Centre because there is a theatre and TV studio and it was opened in the early 1980's. Anyway, during the Deaf Arts Day, there will be taster performances and workshops by Deaf Artists alongside serious discussions to develop the Deaf Arts Network. If you like to be involved, email rebecca@nwdaf.co.uk. John Smith will perform at the end of the day, free to the people taking part in the Deaf Arts Day.
I attended the Clin D'Oeil Festival in Reims, France and once again I am in praise of our Deaf French cousins. Fantastic! I was told that there was a possibility of the festival being cancelled due to lack of fund but at the last minute everything was in place. The conference centre at Reims was full all through the three days with Deaf people coming in from all over Europe. At breakfast in my hotel, it was like the European Deaf Club with signing conversations going on inter-tables.
There were loads of good quality performances. It does make me shudder to see how far behind the Deaf Brits are. But we do excel in film-making with "Coming Out" winning the Best Short Film Competition.
The Norwegian, Theatre Manu, was the highlight of the festival with their stunning performance of Frankenstien's Legacy. Superb, well acted with a gothic set complete with lights and sound effects.
Also Divaldo Neslysim (I Cannot Hear Theatre) performed a visually stunning piece called "Nemo's Big Adventure" The costumes and the way the performers moved transported me into an underwater world.
There were many other great performances but I do have a couple of favourites. "Best Friends" by Kheira Lamada and Isabelle Voizeux. They were extremely funny and I loved how their costumes "performed" with them too! "Cowboys and Indians" by L'Acts made my jaws dropped with a brilliant film combined with the surreal acting. I was in tears of laughter at the end.
WebSourd, the Deaf French Internet Service has filmed some of the performances in the festival. Please do view them via www.websourd.org then click "Festival Clin D'Oeil"
At the festival, I had the opportunity to meet many of the artists and spoke to audience members. I was trilled to see that the Swedish Tyst Theatre were recruiting some of the best performers in Europe to create a new piece of theatre work called. Robert Farmer aka "Rob Roy" emailed me that they are touring Norway, Denmark and Sweden in October/November/December. The new work is called "The Odyssey". The Stockholm performance from 5th to 15th December is sold out!! For more info go into Theatre Manu's website
www.teatermanu.no Robert has emailed me the full tour dates, please so email me if you want a copy.
Last year saw UK's Deaf Comedian John Smith going from strength to strength and was featured on BBC TV See Hear. His performance was filmed at Merseyside Deaf Centre. His performance had us laughing away and the See Hear film crew captured (including myself) Liverpool audience having a great time. John Smith website has his tour dates. www.beautifulbsl.co.uk
Our colleagues at the delightful 3D Theatre Company at Derby has been sending me up to the minute news via email. Go to their website if you too want to receive them and also find out when their next show is on
Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre, based in Liverpool was awarded £25,000 for their Young Roots Project. www.hlf.org.uk
Look into their website for their latest news. www.signdance.com
Another Liverpool based and award winning Community Arts group MerseySign Theatre has been wowing the audience locally. They have a hour-long show keeping with "George" character in "Terminal Delay", "Totally Frank" and "Signing Class Horror" confusing and tormenting both himself and others. They will be performing in North Wales in December.
Please do email me at deafarts@nwdaf.co.uk if you wants your news shown on this page
Barry Avison
Deaf Arts Development
Deaf people have always regarded themselves first and foremost as a Linguist Minority by using a visual language known as BSL (British Sign Language) which forms the roots of Deaf Arts and Culture.
There has been a marked lack of opportunity for Deaf people to fully participate within mainstream arts mainly due to the attitudes and lack of understanding towards BSL.
Traditionally, Deaf people have shown their work within the Deaf Community through their Social Clubs or Regional and National Rallies.
The linguistic/cultural minority model of deafness
Many Deaf people do not regard themselves as Disabled people, but do follow the principals of the Social Model of Disability. The notion of a fully inclusive society where all the needs are met is fine in principle, but it is important to understand that Deaf people identify firstly as a Linguist Minority group and are proud to do so.
Deaf Culture has its roots in its language. The art forms within the Deaf Community are mainly witnessed and experienced through Deaf Theatre and Visual Arts. There has been a strong tradition within Deaf culture of Story Telling which has brought about a unique form of Signed Poetry.
Hearing arts are predominately narrative and this gets lost upon most Deaf people, an example is that Deaf Theatre is very physical using Sign Language and Body Movement within the dialogues making expressive communications.
