Ryan explores his own degenerative hearing loss as a celebratory source of Play and joyous perspective.
A show exploring cultural boundary and social identity when existing between two distinctly different worlds, and belonging to neither.
Not a commentary on loss or difficulty, but rather a half-mad ear-splitting laugh towards the awkwardness of all humanity.
Highlighting the connections that we all share, which require no words or logic, where the loudest actions are lost in translation, and the tiniest looks become deafening.
In this world of chattering heads and singing hands, we explore a dialect of love and humour, where we put our egos aside, and revel in the absurd.
SHUSH builds on a small personal research project entitled ‘Today I Am Become dEAF’ and continues to explore cultural and social themes of the Hard of Hearing community.
Working through online social media platforms, discussion forums and one-to-one interviews, this project draws on the collective experiences of both the Deaf, the Hard of Hearing and the Hearing to uncover theatrical common ground and to tackle social issues – particularly the unseen and often unspoken hurdles that the Hard of Hearing community face whilst feeling socially and culturally excluded by both hearing and Deaf society.
The project investigates areas with advice and guidance from well know charities such as Hearing Link, and makes use of platforms provided by Action On Hearing Loss and Sense.
This research project aims to draw upon personal accounts and experiences from all areas, without excluding anyone’s thoughts or opinions, and as such is being developed with the care and thought it requires in order to become a thought-provoking, emotionally honest and artistically authentic piece of theatre.