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Blind And Deaf Theatre Company Nalaga?at Bring Play To London Stage | UK News | Sky News
The world’s first blind and deaf theatre company is bringing its critically-acclaimed play to the London stage for the first time.
In Not By Bread Alone the actors - from the Israeli Nalaga’at Company - share stories as they knead, leaven and bake bread onstage.
Using touch, mime, sign language and music they create a cabaret-style show which is as funny as it is thought-provoking.
And while most actors' top concern is remembering their lines, when the entire cast is deaf or blind priorities are somewhat different.
Actress Bat Sheva Ravenseri, who is deaf and blind, says rehearsals can be hectic.
She said: "In the beginning sometimes the director would yell at us and sometimes we would make mistakes.
"There was a lot of chaos, but finally after a long time everyone knows how to do it and where they should be on the stage."
Production staff had to devise innovative ways to interact with the cast.
Adina Tal, artistic director, said: "We learned to communicate with the drum. The actors couldn’t see or hear the drum but still it cues the show.
"They felt the vibrations so they would know they had to do something.
"We also taught them songs by holding their hands to a loudspeaker and feeling the vibrations and learning the rhythm.
"We had to be inventive and it was hard work, but we got there."
Through the stories told onstage, the production aims to show that people aren't defined by their disability.
Tal hopes it will give audiences a fresh take on both theatre and disability.
She said: "One of the hopes for me and all of us coming here to London is that maybe something will grow from it.
"Also knowing that something like this is possible shows there is no such thing as impossible."
The play took two years to make and has been seen by 150,000 people.
And it seems to be going down well with London theatre-goers.
Jimmy Jameson said: "It was mind-blowing actually - really inspiring.
"I came out and I felt that my eyes had been opened to something not just to the actors and how they communicated but what is in front of our eyes that we don't see normally."
The world’s first blind and deaf theatre company is bringing its critically-acclaimed play to the London stage for the first time.
In Not By Bread Alone the actors - from the Israeli Nalaga’at Company - share stories as they knead, leaven and bake bread onstage.
Using touch, mime, sign language and music they create a cabaret-style show which is as funny as it is thought-provoking.
And while most actors' top concern is remembering their lines, when the entire cast is deaf or blind priorities are somewhat different.
Actress Bat Sheva Ravenseri, who is deaf and blind, says rehearsals can be hectic.
She said: "In the beginning sometimes the director would yell at us and sometimes we would make mistakes.
"There was a lot of chaos, but finally after a long time everyone knows how to do it and where they should be on the stage."
Production staff had to devise innovative ways to interact with the cast.
Adina Tal, artistic director, said: "We learned to communicate with the drum. The actors couldn’t see or hear the drum but still it cues the show.
"They felt the vibrations so they would know they had to do something.
"We also taught them songs by holding their hands to a loudspeaker and feeling the vibrations and learning the rhythm.
"We had to be inventive and it was hard work, but we got there."
Through the stories told onstage, the production aims to show that people aren't defined by their disability.
Tal hopes it will give audiences a fresh take on both theatre and disability.
She said: "One of the hopes for me and all of us coming here to London is that maybe something will grow from it.
"Also knowing that something like this is possible shows there is no such thing as impossible."
The play took two years to make and has been seen by 150,000 people.
And it seems to be going down well with London theatre-goers.
Jimmy Jameson said: "It was mind-blowing actually - really inspiring.
"I came out and I felt that my eyes had been opened to something not just to the actors and how they communicated but what is in front of our eyes that we don't see normally."