Signed performances for children’s theatre

Capital E National Theatre for Children is putting on two signed performances of its production, The Farm at the End of Road, to celebrate New Zealand Sign Language Week running from 2 to 8 May.

The Farm at the End of Road, ideal for children between two and seven years of age, was described in The Dominion Post review as “pretty much perfect”. The signed performances will be held at 11.30am on Monday 3 May and Friday 7 May.

Stephen Blackburn, General Manager of Capital E National Theatre for Children, says New Zealand Sign Language Week provides the perfect opportunity for the theatre to launch what he hopes will become standard practice for its productions.

“It’s partly about developing new audiences for theatre but as a national company, it’s about access and providing a service to as many children as possible,” Stephen says.

“We’d love to do a signed performance in each centre when we tour but that would require additional funding.”

Touring the country
Capital E National Theatre for Children tours to 16 centres from Invercargill to Kerikeri twice a year. One tour is aimed at two to seven-year-olds; the second tour is aimed at eight to 14-year-olds.

The signed performances in Wellington are a trial to gauge reaction and demand. Stephen is grateful to the Wellington City Council for contributing to the cost of providing an interpreter.
 
Marianne Taylor, Co-Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, is delighted that the children’s theatre company is offering signed performances.

“As well as giving young children the chance to experience high-quality theatre, it’s an example of a professional arts organisation opening the door to the Deaf community and fostering inclusion,” she says.

Preparing for the signed performances
New Zealand Sign Language interpreter Thornton Peck estimates that he will spend approximately 50 hours preparing for and performing in the signed performances of The Farm at the End of Road.

He has learned the script and has been watching a DVD of the play several times to set up the different characters and their movements. Finally, he will attend rehearsals for the signed performances with the cast.

“I’m really enjoying the challenge. I’ve never signed anything quite like this before with such a young audience, and a lot of puppetry and singing,” Thornton says. “Sign singing, as it’s called, can be difficult. The signed translation has to capture the meaning of the song but also the rhythm and pace. You also have to sign more dramatically with a song than you do for dialogue.”

Thornton started learning New Zealand Sign Language at night classes 13 years ago, has completed a two-year diploma and has been a qualified interpreter for the past 10 years. He is now studying towards a post-graduate diploma in Sign Language Interpreting.
 
Finding a new home
Written by Peter Wilson and directed by Kerryn Palmer, The Farm at the End of Road features lyrics by 2009 New Zealand Post Mansfield Prize recipient Jenny Pattrick. It takes children into the rural world of New Zealand with the tale of Farmer Mac, who sets out to find a new home. On the way, he is joined by various farm animals, including Buck the sheep dog who falls off a truck; two sheep called Duchess and Matilda; and Henrietta the chook and her free-range mate Henry – all puppet characters created by artist Sue Hill.

The Farm at the End of Road will tour New Zealand from May to November. The tour begins in McKenzie Theatre, Civic Square, Wellington from 22 April to 14 May. Visit the Capital E website for more information about the 2010 national tour.