Cast announced for gig theatre piece THE SINGER premiering at TravFest26
Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Dundee Rep Theatre and Solar Bear have revealed full casting for The Singer, a radical piece of gig theatre premiering at Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (4-30 August), before touring across Scotland in September.
The Singer is a powerful story of music, identity and connection, and the fight for a deaf artist to be truly seen and heard.
Written and directed by Cora Bissett, with music and lyrics written for the production by the multi award-winning KT Tunstall, The Singer is presented by Dundee Rep Theatre and Solar Bear, in collaboration with Aberdeen Performing Arts.
Performed in spoken English and British Sign Language, with captioning, The Singer follows the unlikely partnership between Joe, a deaf artist, who “sings” with his hands, and Andy, a washed-up musician hungry for a comeback. Joe experiences music viscerally and physically, feeling rhythm through his body and crafting lyrics that pulse with life and exhilarating originality.
As their connection ignites something extraordinary, ambition and belonging collide. But as prejudice and the music industry’s ableist blind spots close in, their bond is pushed to breaking point.
Returning to the role of Joe is deaf artist and award-winning co-creator of the original short film, Jamie Rea [(We indulge in) a bit of roll play, Birds of Paradise Theatre Company]. Taking on the role of Andy is actor-musician Dylan Wood who is currently starring in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Once and starred in Hadestown in the West End. They will be joined by Hannah Jarett Scott, known for her previous roles in the Olivier Award winning Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) and Stand and Deliver, and deaf actor Petre Dobre, creator of several works at Macrobert Arts Centre, who will both be portraying the role of an Oracle and myriad other characters.
This stage production evolved from the 20-minute short film The Singer, co-written by Cora Bissett and Jamie Rea, produced by Laura McBride, Lothian Films and James Heath, MTP, and commissioned by Screen Scotland via Short Circuit. Premiering at EIFF 2023, the film went on to be selected for BFI, where it was shortlisted for Best Short, as well as Glasgow Film Festival, Hollywood Deaf Film Festival and the UK’s largest deaf film festival, Deaf Fest, where it was nominated for Best Short Film and won Jamie Rea the Best Actor award.
The play places British Sign Language and spoken English on equal artistic footing, blending expression and emotion through both speech/sign and song/signed song. Shifting BSL from the sidelines to centre stage, the production delivers an engaging and immersive experience for deaf BSL users and hearing audiences alike.
The Singer previews at Dundee Rep Theatre (29 – 31 Jul), before its world premiere at the TravFest26 during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (4 – 30 Aug) and plays The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen (9 – 12 Sept), and The Citizens Theatre in Glasgow (15-19 Sept) before returning to Dundee (23 – 26 Sept).
The production brings together a multi-talented creative team, including associate BSL director Benedetta Zanetti, designer Jenny Booth, sound designer Garry Boyle, lighting designer Emma Jones, and dramaturg David Greig, with captioning by Daniel Hughes.
Writer and director Cora Bissett said: “I am delighted to bring The Singer to Dundee, the Edinburgh Fringe, and audiences across Scotland this summer. The show was inspired by watching lead actor Jamie Rea perform in BSL to music at his drama school showcase, an experience that opened my eyes to the many ways Deaf people can connect with music. What began as a short film during lockdown has long been destined to become a full-length stage production.
“I’m thrilled that KT Tunstall has come on board to write songs for the show, bringing her wealth of songwriting talent as well as her decades of life experience as a world-renowned artist. It has been a total joy to collaborate with her on this project.
“This production brings together some of Scotland’s finest actor-musicians alongside outstanding Deaf artists. With the support of Andrew Panton, Dundee Rep Theatre and Solar Bear, in collaboration with Aberdeen Performing Arts, we have a unique opportunity to create a groundbreaking music theatre project uniting Deaf and hearing artists in a way not seen before in Scotland.”