Theatre company captivates deaf pupils
Director of 'What Goes UP…', Jayne Batzofin, said this is a playful, gentle and explorative production devised to capture the imagination of young pupils.
FULTON School for the Deaf is one of the schools that will get to see the new production by award-winning theatre company, FTHK.
The company is embarking on its 2015 national schools tour until Wednesday, 27 May and will make their appearance at Fulton on Monday, 18 May to Wednesday, 20 May.
A new show, ‘What Goes UP…’, is aimed at deaf children from four to seven years old. In addition, they will be hosting play and feedback sessions with pupils to allow them access and to engage in the joy of theatre.
FTHK, now celebrating its tenth year, is the recipient of the 2011 Fleur du Cap Award for Innovation in Theatre. This production is a new venture for the company in many regards, as it focuses solely on Foundation Phase learners, a show specifically created for deaf children. Since its inception in 2007, the national schools tour has become a firm fixture on the calendar and has introduced the excitement of live theatre shows and training programmes to more than 50 000 pupils.
Director of ‘What Goes UP…’, Jayne Batzofin, said this is a playful, gentle and explorative production devised to capture the imagination of young pupils.
“The costumes will captivate, the puppets enchant and the story will allow pupils the opportunity to connect with their emotions of how they experience their worlds.
“Through the medium of theatre, we hope to allow young deaf children to have a different source of stimulation and allow variety into how they receive South African sign language in their formative years,” said Batzofin.
FTHK CEO, Ana Lemmer, said, “By engaging with younger pupils, we hope to instil in them a sense of wonder and curiosity by playing through theatre.
“Non-verbal theatre has the ability to reach beyond barriers of language and sound to open up new worlds, especially for deaf performers and audience members. By facilitating play sessions, we hope to inspire, educate, fascinate and build confidence in the pupils, and raise their interest in theatre as a medium of expression,” she said.
The cast will also visit Malvern Children’s Home on Saturday, 16 May.
