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Curtain up on National Lottery funded play for deaf people

NOISE, written by Thomas Moran, is a new play aimed to inspire conversation about inclusivity and diversity. Focusing on a group of five young students the production aims to raise awareness of the potential challenges of being deaf when starting university. NOISE will be at the Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre from 13–16 April.

Supported through Grants for the Arts, each performance will integrate sign language, captioning and audio description. There will also be the chance to join workshops and to take part in discussions about themes raised in the play.

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England said: “Theatre entertains and inspires us, and importantly, it can help us to see the world around us through someone else’s eyes. NOISE promises to be a heart-warming demonstration of togetherness which celebrates diversity, and it’s great to see our funding supporting further inclusivity within the arts.”   

Thomas Moran, Playwright of NOISE said: “I was working as a Front of House Assistant, ensuring each visitor enjoyed their experience. A party, all of whom were deaf, approached me to take their seats in the auditorium for a signed performance. In this moment, I felt entirely ignorant and incapable of having a simple interaction with them. I wanted to understand who or what the barrier is and how society and life in general is experienced in both worlds.”

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