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A Regina theatre company is proving you don’t need to speak to tell one of Shakespeare’s most famous stories.
Deaf Crows Collective opened its ambitious production, ‘The Deaf Tempest,’ on Thursday at the Regina Performing Arts Centre, offering a fully visual, language-free adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic play in a performance designed to be appreciated equally by both deaf and hearing audiences.
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Michelle Grodecki, executive director of Deaf Crows Collective and assistant director of the production, said the show was designed from the ground up to remove traditional language barriers.
‘The Deaf Tempest,’ a fully accessible adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play presented in Regina takes a unique approach to the material, staging the show without words. (Michelle Grodecki/Submitted)
“We have taken that and reimagined it to make it a text-free, visually immersive production that’s really rooted in what we call deaf aesthetics,” Grodecki said. “We are focusing a lot on puppetry, mask projections, physical theatre to show Shakespeare’s words.”
The production follows the original story of ‘The Tempest,’ set on a mysterious island after a shipwreck where themes of magic, betrayal and forgiveness unfold.
Grodecki said accessibility is at the heart of the production, which has been in development for three years.
“We created the show to be Shakespeare for everyone,” she said.
“No matter what your hearing status is, no matter what language you speak, you’ll be able to come to the show and fully understand one of Shakespeare’s final works.”
Actors use props and expressive movement to tell Shakespeare’s story without words in Deaf Crows Collective’s production of ‘The Deaf Tempest.’ (Michelle Grodecki/Submitted)
To help achieve that, the production uses an eight-channel sound system that allows audiences to feel parts of the performance physically.
“When there’s thunder and lightning, the actual stands where people are sitting actually vibrate,” Grodecki said. “So you get to kind of feel those sounds as well. It’s a whole, fully sensed spectacle of a show.”
“Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, / Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.”
~William Shakespeare, ‘The Tempest,’ Act III, Scene II
The cast includes 13 deaf and hard-of-hearing performers from Regina between the ages of 16 and 30. Some are experienced actors who have performed across Canada, while others are stepping onto the stage for the first time. All are current or former students of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Winston Knoll Collegiate.
Grodecki said the company was founded in 2016 to create accessible theatre after seeing how many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals struggled during traditional productions.
Puppetry on display during Deaf Crows Collective’s production of ‘The Deaf Tempest’ at the Regina Performing Arts Centre. (Michelle Grodecki/Submitted)
“We always said we just really want to make things accessible so that everybody is on an equal playing field,” she said. “Because when everyone is on an equal playing field, then that’s truly where the magic happens.”
The company’s previous shows have consistently sold out, and Grodecki said early reactions to ‘The Deaf Tempest’ suggest audiences are connecting with the unique presentation.
A preview performance for high school students helped confirm the production’s success.
“If we can have 150 high school students sit in this show and understand what’s going on, we have hit our goal,” Grodecki said.
Actors perform a key moment in ‘The Deaf Tempest,’ using movement and staging to convey the story without spoken language. (Michelle Grodecki/Submitted)
Grodecki said the performers have completely embraced the opportunity, especially those who previously found Shakespeare’s works inaccessible.
“Our actors are so excited,” she said. “They know they’ve created something really special that’s going to really be remembered for a long time.”
‘The Deaf Tempest’ runs until Saturday at the Regina Performing Arts Centre on Angus Street. Tickets are available online, at the door or by phone, with a pay-what-you-can model starting at $5.
Puppeteers take part in a climactic scene during Deaf Crows Collective’s production of ‘The Deaf Tempest’ in Regina. (Michelle Grodecki/Submitted)
