Performed partly in ASL, using both surtitles and spoken word, Deafy, written and performed by Chris Dodd and directed by Ashley Wright, is now on as part of SummerWorks 2019.
Dodd plays Nathan Jesper, a liaison with the National Deaf Association who travels the world giving educational talks on Deaf culture. At the top of the show he is late for a scheduled talk. As his presentation progresses, it derails from his usual content and we eventually learn why.
Dodd is Deaf himself. As Jesper, he tells us stories about navigating the world as a Deaf person, with the stories primarily revolving around the themes of (mis)communication and (dis)connection.
Dodd is incredibly engaging to watch. I found his text to be illuminating, extremely poignant, and often hilarious. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Deaf culture from his perspective. Dodd has crafted a script that walks the tricky line of being both informative and challenging, yet very approachable.
Some of the most important lessons presented in this show pertain to the need for belonging. While this is a show about a Deaf character, some of the lessons span identities. Isolation is unfortunately commonplace among marginalized people. Even if you’re part of the hearing community (a term I learned this evening), chances are that Dodd’s script will still be somewhat relatable.
As part of SummerWorks’ Lab series, the performance I saw was Deafy’s first full production. Considering its current status as a work-in-progress, the text and performance felt quite polished to me. I’m excited to see where this show goes and would recommend it to all.
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Friday August 9th 8:15pm – 9:30pm
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Sunday August 11th 6:00pm – 7:15pm
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Wednesday August 14th 7:00pm – 8:15pm