Nadia Nadarajah: Support my crowdfunder for a short play celebrating Katherine of Aragon (BSL)

Support Nadia’s crowdfunder by clicking here. Watch Nadia’s BSL videos below for more information or scroll down to read more.

Deaf actor Nadia Nadarajah is raising money to support a short play telling the story of Katherine of Aragon through a blend of BSL and English.

In her BSL videos above, she explains:

How Peterborough Cathedral, where the short play will be performed, has a rich history, going back to when Katherine of Aragon – who was Spanish – married King Henry 8th. Katherine was buried at the Cathedral.

Peterborough is recognising Katherine with a festival in 2025, and its expecting a lot of Spanish visitors, who have a custom of leaving pomegranate fruits at her grave!

In 2024, for the first time, there was a BSL tour of Peterborough Cathedral which was attended by a lot of local deaf people. This made the festival interested in how to include deaf people and so the idea came to combine the tour with a performance.

But the Cathedral doesn’t have all the usual things like lighting that a theatre does. And it’s a big place which is 900 years old!

Nadia says she wants to write a short play for two local deaf actors, one new and one experienced, which will be accessible to a deaf and hearing audience. This would be the first deaf event in the history of the festival.

Nadia says she’d like to ask people to donate a small (or big!)amount to the crowdfunder to support the short play.

If the fundraising is successful, the play will be performed on Saturday 25th January 2025 and will hopefully have two time slots, to give people two chances to see it.

Information from the crowdfunding page:

Unlocking Time: A Unique Performance at Peterborough Cathedral

Experience history like never before with a groundbreaking short play at the Katherine of Aragon Festival 2025.

A Story Across Time

For the first time, a deaf and hearing actor duo will come together to perform a captivating short play, written in a blend of British Sign Language (BSL) and English. Set against the iconic backdrop of Peterborough Cathedral, this play tells the story of Katherine of Aragon through the eyes of two unique characters:

The Modern Security Guard: A contemporary figure dedicated to safeguarding the cathedral.
Old Scarlett, the Gravedigger: A historical figure and the cathedral’s legendary caretaker, who holds the secrets of Katherine’s time.
Both characters share keys to the cathedral and to time itself, engaging in a rich dialogue about the events Old Scarlett witnessed during Katherine’s final days.

A Blend of Theatre and Guided Tour

This performance isn’t just a play—it’s a journey through history. Mixing storytelling with the essence of a guided tour, the audience will be transported through time, discovering the untold stories of Peterborough Cathedral and its royal connections.

Your Support Makes It Possible

We need your help to bring this vision to life! Your contributions will go toward:

Staging and Set Design: Creating an authentic, immersive experience.
Costumes: Bringing the characters of past and present to life.
Inclusivity: Ensuring accessibility for both deaf and hearing audiences.
Join Us in Celebrating Heritage and Diversity

With your support, we can share this story of resilience, history, and connection in a way that’s never been done before. Help us unlock the doors of time for everyone to experience.