Review: Deafinitely Theatre’s children’s play Something Else

Yesterday, I took my family along to see Deafinitely Theatre’s children’s play Something Else, starring Nadeem Islam as the title character.

We had a lovely afternoon watching a performance that was visual and funny, while also communicating deaf themes to both a deaf and a hearing audience.

The play is about a small creature (called Something Else) who has no friends and doesn’t quite fit in. When a stranger arrives, he is himself challenged to accept someone who is different from himself.

What’s neat about the play is how it takes the children’s story of an outsider and brings in the theme of deafness and how deafness itself can be isolating or make someone feel separate from those around them.

The three members of the cast performed with a warmth and humour that meant both children and adults chuckled away through different scenes in the play.

Nadeem Islam delivered some wonderful signed sequences, while Ian Street and Clare-Louise English brought their own visual humour to proceedings while also offering the hearing audience crucial voice-over. All three actors looked like they were genuinely enjoying themselves.

The message of the play was so clearly communicated that it was absorbed by my daughter, who is only 6, who wrote down on a feedback form that “being different is ok.” (which made this dad feel very proud).

This is another success for Deafinitely Theatre, who also had the members of their Youth acting group on stage afterwards signing about their own progress, reflecting the importance of the theatre company in supporting the next generation of performers and deaf theatre-makers.

There are two more performances of Something Else, so make sure you see it if you can! Details below:

• actacentre BristolThursday 1st June, 1.00pm and 3.30pm

  BOOK TICKETS

• Pegasus OxfordFriday 2nd June, 1.00pm and 3.30pm

  BOOK TICKETS

Review by Charlie Swinbourne, Editor