The Quiet Revolution of Laurent Clerc

The Quiet Revolution of Laurent Clerc description

The Quiet Revolution of Laurent Clerc is a new play about a Deaf pioneer who helped to build a school for Deaf children in America, and the price he was asked to pay for it.

In 1816, Laurent Clerc travels from France to America, determined to show that he can stand as an equal in a hearing world. With the young Reverend Thomas Gallaudet, he sets out to found a school where Deaf children can learn and communicate. When Clerc falls in love and announces that he intends to marry a Deaf woman, everything he has built is thrown into doubt, and he must choose between the institution he has given his life to and the life he wants for himself.

The play is inspired by the life of the man remembered as 'the Father of the Deaf'. It is performed in visual language, four modalities of sign language, spoken English and French, with creative captions, and every performance is captioned and includes British Sign Language. Developed with support from New York Theatre Workshop and four Arts Council England grants, and workshopped at the National Theatre, it is presented by Dreamatorium and Berkshire Playwrights Lab in partnership with Park Theatre.

The play is written by Carol Schneider, who began her career as an actor on Broadway and Off-Broadway before becoming an award-winning audiobook narrator. While researching Clerc and Gallaudet, she learned that she is related to the Gallaudet family. Director Joe Cacaci has directed at The Public Theater for Joseph Papp, co-produced the Obie-winning New York premiere of David Mamet's Edmond and directed the world premiere of James Tyler's Some Old Black Man. Deepa Shastri is Director of Artistic Sign Language, with set design by Calypso Michelet and video and captions by Ben Glover.

Alim Jadavji plays Thomas Gallaudet. Raised by two deaf parents with BSL as his first language, he has appeared in EastEnders, The Chelsea Detective, the film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and the Royal Shakespeare Company's The Boy in the Dress. BSL poet and Visual Vernacular performer Zoë McWhinney plays Eliza Boardman, with Natalia Campbell (The Tempest, RSC) as Mistress Stansbury and Luna Tosin in the ensemble.

Book your tickets for The Quiet Revolution of Laurent Clerc at Park Theatre, a story of love, ambition and the roots of sign language.

Playing at Park Theatre

Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3JP GB (venue info)

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