Ayr Gaiety first with BSL performers
The Gaiety’s first in-house production to feature actors delivering performances in both BSL and spoken English throughout.
An Ayr Christmas Pantomime is breaking new ground this year with a first in-house production to feature actors delivering performances in both British Sign Language and spoken English throughout.
Bea Webster and Benedetta Zanetti will be acting in The Gaiety’s Mother Goose in a combination of BSL, Sign Supported English, and Visual Vernacular, while other cast members perform in spoken English.
It has all come about with the iconic Gaiety Theatre’s partnership with Solar Bear, a production house that works with deaf and hearing actors, promoting inclusion and reaching out to those often excluded from the arts.
Speaking to Clyde 1 Ayrshire, Rachel McIndoe from the Gaiety says it is a collaboration they have been thinking about for a while.
She said: “Integrating deaf performers and just widening access to performers generally is something we’ve wanted to do for many many years now.
“So, we’re really glad we got it off the ground this year.
“The partnership with Solar Bear came about because they are so brilliant in this field, we have really benefitted from working with them.”
The Panto will run from the end of November until the start of next year, and follows two years of five-star reviewed productions, after 2022’s Sleeping Beauty, and 2023’s Cinderella.
And Rachel added: “The Gaiety Panto is special every single year, but it’s a massive production this year.
“It's a fantastic story this year, the script is amazing. It will be full of all the things you normally see and love at the Gaiety Panto.
“We’ve got these incredible sets, gorgeous costumes, brilliant dance numbers, amazing songs.
“It’s a hugely talented cast, you’ll be laughing from start to finish. There is a tale with real heart and a real message.
“And it is extra special this year because we have been able to take that extra step to make it more inclusive and more acceptable for more audiences.”
Jennifer Bates, CEO of Solar Bear agreed, adding: “Supporting Ayr Gaiety’s panto, Mother Goose, is something that I am so very proud of.
“For such a long time, there has been a notable absence of deaf actors on our main stages at Christmas.
“Now, there is not one deaf actor employed but two and I know that both Bea and Benny will be brilliant, I’ve had a sneak peek during the read-through.
“Solar Bear have been working with the team at Ayr as they relish the creative challenge of working in a bilingual room: playing with the richness and complexity that can be explored when working with BSL and visual communication.”