Watch: Comedy series The Fingerspellers!

Three years ago this week, I had a meeting with Remark’s Mark Nelson where he asked me to write a short series that could fit into the BSLBT’s Wicked series. A few months later, an 8-part comedy series about a family of Deaf gangsters was born.

Just after Christmas 2009, some of the UK’s best Deaf acting talent teamed up with award-winning director William Mager for a shoot that was the most fun of any set I’ve ever been on – except for the last day, when a burst water pipe meant filming had to stop (it was only completed months later!).

So, for silly episode titles, beautiful opening credits (thanks to animator James Merry) and some incredibly fast fingerspelling, watch those eight episodes below. And look out for a cameo from yours truly…

Charlie Swinbourne is the editor of Limping Chicken, as well as being a journalist and award-winning scriptwriter. He writes for the Guardian and BBC Online, and as a scriptwriter, penned My Song, Coming Out and Four Deaf Yorkshiremen.

The Limping Chicken is supported by Deaf media company Remark!, provider of sign language services Deaf Umbrella, the Deaf training and consultancy Deafworks, the RAD Deaf Law Centre, and BID’s upcoming 5th anniversary performance by Ramesh Meyyappan on 12th October – don’t miss it!