HEIST: Duffy and Elf Lyons head to Edinburgh Fringe with their unique VV comedy show (BSL)

If you haven’t yet seen anything about HEIST, where on earth have you been? The show, devised and performed by deaf artist Duffy and comedian Elf Lyons, was created from their true friendship, as a signer and a non-signer trying to connect. It combines Visual Vernacular, foley (live sound effects) and improvisation, which guarantees each show will be slightly different.

The show has already had several successful incarnations, including a sold-out run last year in Soho, and is now heading to Edinburgh Fringe in August for its latest outing at The Tron. But what exactly can audiences expect from the show?

Duffy, himself an award-winning artist, filmmaker, physical and visual vernacular performer says; “I don’t think there has been anything like this, or not that I’m aware of. This show is accessible for both deaf and hearing audiences because my VV performance is complemented by Elf’s voiceover and sound foley skills. Some of it is rehearsed, but some is improvised, and when you consider that Elf isn’t BSL fluent, and I can’t hear her, we need to have a lot of faith in each other. And we do! We love it, and I hope that comes across to the audience.”

He continues; “Elf knows some BSL. She’s studying for Level 1 BSL, but for the sake of the show I don’t want her to get better at it just yet! The fact she isn’t fluent means the show is, in a way, nostalgic for some audience members. It reminds them of their childhood friends trying to communicate with them and build a bridge. I often correct Elf’s signing or teach her new words on the spot during the show. Sometimes during a performance she realises she doesn’t know a sign for a certain word, and she might ask me for it, but sometimes she doesn’t, and it’s really great for the audience to see this happening in real time.”

“Elf represents a typical hearing person who knows nothing about deaf people or culture. For example, once during a show she improvised saying ‘Oh you are so brave’ and ‘Why can’t all sign languages be the same so it’s easier to learn’, and we’ve probably all known someone like this!”

Improvisation mixed with alternative comedy using a variety of performance styles is nothing new to Elf, who is an award-winning comedian, theatre maker, director, writer and voice artist. Since 2017, she has been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality, Fringe World Perth’s Best Comedy Show, and in 2018 she won Pick of the Fringe at the Adelaide Fringe, Australia.

However, for all Elf’s experience, this year will be Duffy’s first time performing at the Fringe; “I’m really excited about going to the Fringe. It’s been an ambition of mine since I was teenager when I first saw a mime show there; it was of two Japanese performers, not a word uttered, and it blew my mind. I started wondering if I could maybe do something like that. Years later, I learned mime and physical theatre from Ramesh Meyyappan, a deaf theatre maker based in Glasgow, and then I was introduced to VV by my friend Ace Mahbaz in my 20s’ This show is accumulation of all I’ve learned from them and along the way. I enjoy dark humour and Elf does too so this show is the perfect outlet for both of us. It isn’t about being deaf or hearing, but it connects with both those communities.”

HEIST uses the skills of its performers to create a show where language truly isn’t a barrier (although performances do come with trigger warnings of references to gore and violence). But what does Duffy hope for us to take away from it?

He says; “I’d like the hearing audiences to leave the show thinking it’s OK to give it a go and risk embarrassing yourself a little, rather than just completely avoiding deaf people. Not all deafies are the same! And we’re interesting! But please do try to respect our sign language and learn properly – not off Instagram from the hearing influencers… I also hope that deaf audiences enjoy the show, and it resonates with them; we all have to communicate, at the end of the day. This show is a celebration of that, with some really great clown moments too.”

HEIST runs from 2nd August 2023 to 15th August 2023 at 8.40pm at The Tron Theatre
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/elf-and-duffy-heist