Did any way that it was staged surprise you? Please explain.
I loved it, thought it was amazingly accomplished given the time limits, made me look at the play in a whole new way! (Playwright - Lisa McGee)
It surprised me how well it flowed, I can’t believe how much you have done in 2 weeks Amazing. (Hearing audience member)
I liked the cross staging of same characters, so a deaf actor wasn’t always next to their hearing actor character. (Hearing audience member)
Yes the talking and signing acting at the same time. I would usually find myself listening to oral part then BSL but this made me concentrate more. (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
WOW WOW WOW!!!
Loved the configuration combinations - the relationship between all the characters - the silences etc.!!! Hairs on the back of my neck, arms, legs. Powerful performances by all. (Hearing audience member)
I loved the change from the major to minor character - so strong and defined. The staging was excellent. The sync of the BSL and hearing actors was great - at times maybe lost timing, but fantastic, made my senses work overtime in a good way. (Hearing audience member)
I thought it was really exciting and interesting. (Hearing audience)
Double character - I thought this was a really good way to get the dialogue across both languages. (Hearing audience member)
Good role shift. (Deaf audience member)
It was good to see the transformation (from previous sharing in first week) that wasn’t expected. (Deaf audience member)
I thought the balance of the two languages worked well in this sharing. I was surprised there were 4 performers. How much I understood and enjoyed it. The level of attention paid by audience to actors and between actors made it much more potent and live than other I’ve seen. The breath of the actors and the physicality of all four became very beautiful to experience. The story took on larger meaning, emotional attention, how relationships are built, expressed, destroyed. (Hearing audience member)
Didn’t know how the deaf actors were going to be used in the piece - good to see a variety of roles played. (Hearing audience member)
With no practical knowledge of BSL I was interested how and to what level I could interpret and understand the sign language. It is also a beautiful physical language. With two different perspectives of performance it was interesting and the sharing was moving, emotional and funny. (Hearing audience)
Yes. I have seen the first R & D and there are vast improvement from then. The beginning worked really well. (Deaf audience member)
It is much better performing. The Girls and Dolls is fantastic and such working hard. (Deaf audience member)
Yes because it was the first time for me seeing a sign/speech performance and I still felt the level to understand their emotions and action. (Hearing audience member)
I thought it was very clear staging! (Hearing audience member)
Speed at first I thought that the story maybe hard to follow in terms of sign but I am not used to watching. (Hearing audience member)
Having seen the first week of R & D - impressed by the range of staging options and opportunities that the team had unearthed. I was surprised by the extent to which they had refined them and the staged sections were extremely fluent/given that they were bilingual. Clear and crisply presented. (Hearing audience member)
I liked it a lot of it. Particularly when the BSL was matched perfectly with the spoken English. (I was slightly confused at points - change overs but I think that was just me working out who was speaking to who. (Hearing audience member)
Easy to follow - expressed characters excellently. (Hearing audience member).
There was lots of character changing and sometimes it was hard to keep up but this also held my attention. (Hearing audience member)
I liked the way the characters mirrored characters to begin with - but I also found it possible to follow the exchanges even when the speaking counterpart wasn’t speaking. I was surprised at the fact I could absorb everything that was going on - it’s quite busy but I really liked it. (Hearing audience member)
Enjoyed the staging and presentation. Sign language is so descriptively visual. (Hearing audience member)
I loved it, thought it was amazingly accomplished given the time limits, made me look at the play in a whole new way! (Playwright - Lisa McGee)
It surprised me how well it flowed, I can’t believe how much you have done in 2 weeks Amazing. (Hearing audience member)
I liked the cross staging of same characters, so a deaf actor wasn’t always next to their hearing actor character. (Hearing audience member)
Yes the talking and signing acting at the same time. I would usually find myself listening to oral part then BSL but this made me concentrate more. (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
WOW WOW WOW!!!
Loved the configuration combinations - the relationship between all the characters - the silences etc.!!! Hairs on the back of my neck, arms, legs. Powerful performances by all. (Hearing audience member)
I loved the change from the major to minor character - so strong and defined. The staging was excellent. The sync of the BSL and hearing actors was great - at times maybe lost timing, but fantastic, made my senses work overtime in a good way. (Hearing audience member)
I thought it was really exciting and interesting. (Hearing audience)
Double character - I thought this was a really good way to get the dialogue across both languages. (Hearing audience member)
Good role shift. (Deaf audience member)
It was good to see the transformation (from previous sharing in first week) that wasn’t expected. (Deaf audience member)
I thought the balance of the two languages worked well in this sharing. I was surprised there were 4 performers. How much I understood and enjoyed it. The level of attention paid by audience to actors and between actors made it much more potent and live than other I’ve seen. The breath of the actors and the physicality of all four became very beautiful to experience. The story took on larger meaning, emotional attention, how relationships are built, expressed, destroyed. (Hearing audience member)
Didn’t know how the deaf actors were going to be used in the piece - good to see a variety of roles played. (Hearing audience member)
With no practical knowledge of BSL I was interested how and to what level I could interpret and understand the sign language. It is also a beautiful physical language. With two different perspectives of performance it was interesting and the sharing was moving, emotional and funny. (Hearing audience)
Yes. I have seen the first R & D and there are vast improvement from then. The beginning worked really well. (Deaf audience member)
It is much better performing. The Girls and Dolls is fantastic and such working hard. (Deaf audience member)
Yes because it was the first time for me seeing a sign/speech performance and I still felt the level to understand their emotions and action. (Hearing audience member)
I thought it was very clear staging! (Hearing audience member)
Speed at first I thought that the story maybe hard to follow in terms of sign but I am not used to watching. (Hearing audience member)
Having seen the first week of R & D - impressed by the range of staging options and opportunities that the team had unearthed. I was surprised by the extent to which they had refined them and the staged sections were extremely fluent/given that they were bilingual. Clear and crisply presented. (Hearing audience member)
I liked it a lot of it. Particularly when the BSL was matched perfectly with the spoken English. (I was slightly confused at points - change overs but I think that was just me working out who was speaking to who. (Hearing audience member)
Easy to follow - expressed characters excellently. (Hearing audience member).
There was lots of character changing and sometimes it was hard to keep up but this also held my attention. (Hearing audience member)
I liked the way the characters mirrored characters to begin with - but I also found it possible to follow the exchanges even when the speaking counterpart wasn’t speaking. I was surprised at the fact I could absorb everything that was going on - it’s quite busy but I really liked it. (Hearing audience member)
Enjoyed the staging and presentation. Sign language is so descriptively visual. (Hearing audience member)
Do you think you would like to attend a future full production of Girls and Dolls that developed a staging in this way? Please explain. Yes = (97%) Maybe/Not sure = (3%) No = 0 (0%)
I think it NEEDS to be performed as a full production. (Lisa McGee - playwright)
Generally I thought it was really good, some very strong acting, I was really knocked out by the impact of the BSL actors and it ‘complimented’ massively to the spoken/not BSL acting. Very impressed anyway. (Hearing audience)
I found the staging style and the plot really interesting and would love to see ‘the rest’ of the play. (Hearing audience member)
Great work - my compliments to the actors/writer/director and all involved. (Hearing audience member)
Absolutely. Wanna see how it develops. (Deaf audience member)
It was fantastic to see how the R & D has developed into a working production and I look forward to seeing the whole production. (Deaf audience member)
I felt complicit in the production - it needs me to pay attention and I enjoyed its direct relationship with audience. It’s beautiful to watch the relationships between actors as well as the story.
Love the directional choices, spatial choices, rhythm was great. Possible accidents (?) of overlapping or time lagging between actors create extra / bigger pictures. So the opportunity
to experience surprisingly beautiful events/encounters popping up is great for audience. Again the liveness aspect is great.
This production really brings out the fundamental aspects of theatre - timing, relationships, phrasing, the combination of solidity/groundedness and light. GREAT. (Hearing audience member)
It was interesting to see the interaction between the four actors playing the 2 parts. (Hearing audience member)
It was refreshing. Gave me a more in depth look into characters and story. Made good use of all the actors abilities and skills. Excellent way of storytelling. (Hearing audience member)
I would love to see a full version of the play because I did not want it to stop when it did…(the emotion was great). (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
The play is interesting and I was very interested in the integrated use of BSL and deaf and hearing actors. (Hearing audience).
Firstly because of the plot, but secondly to see more of how it’s staged with hearing and deaf actors. (Hearing audience member)
Really interesting concept and I enjoyed it. (Hearing audience member)
It’s interesting, really different to what I’ve seen - loved that it was a play in 2 languages not an interpretation of one. (Hearing audience member)
Good balance between scenes with all 4 actors performing, and scenes with hearing/deaf actors interacting, great pace throughout. (Hearing audience member)
I particularly liked the bits between one deaf actress and one hearing actress e.g. the swing ‘scene’. I thought the pace in general was fantastic and I really liked the mirror image staging in the first scene. (Hearing audience member)
Girls and Dolls is very good play. I will like to attend for the future full production. (Deaf audience member)
I really would. I thought it was awesome and was very engaged. I wonder what you will do with the set. It felt possible to really get to grips with the characters - even in such a stark setting. I could really imagine everything that was going on. (Hearing audience member)
It was brilliant, the actors were incredibly talented and I fully enjoyed the whole experience. (Hearing audience member)
I am interested in the story. I liked what I saw. It was brilliantly acted all round. (Hearing audience member)
I found it engaging and interesting - funny and heart warming. (Hearing audience member).
I am very excited about this work. Anything that is accessible and includes BSL gets my vote. (Hearing audience member)
This taster has whet my appetite to see how much more this can be developed. (Hearing audience member)
There are always way to explore these styles of staging. Its always refreshing to see this approach in full production. It’s easier on the eye to follow the signing or not having things too static. (Deaf audience member)
Rich additions to plays meditation on time, memory, perception and (mis)communication. (Hearing audience member)
I think it NEEDS to be performed as a full production. (Lisa McGee - playwright)
Generally I thought it was really good, some very strong acting, I was really knocked out by the impact of the BSL actors and it ‘complimented’ massively to the spoken/not BSL acting. Very impressed anyway. (Hearing audience)
I found the staging style and the plot really interesting and would love to see ‘the rest’ of the play. (Hearing audience member)
Great work - my compliments to the actors/writer/director and all involved. (Hearing audience member)
Absolutely. Wanna see how it develops. (Deaf audience member)
It was fantastic to see how the R & D has developed into a working production and I look forward to seeing the whole production. (Deaf audience member)
I felt complicit in the production - it needs me to pay attention and I enjoyed its direct relationship with audience. It’s beautiful to watch the relationships between actors as well as the story.
Love the directional choices, spatial choices, rhythm was great. Possible accidents (?) of overlapping or time lagging between actors create extra / bigger pictures. So the opportunity
to experience surprisingly beautiful events/encounters popping up is great for audience. Again the liveness aspect is great.
This production really brings out the fundamental aspects of theatre - timing, relationships, phrasing, the combination of solidity/groundedness and light. GREAT. (Hearing audience member)
It was interesting to see the interaction between the four actors playing the 2 parts. (Hearing audience member)
It was refreshing. Gave me a more in depth look into characters and story. Made good use of all the actors abilities and skills. Excellent way of storytelling. (Hearing audience member)
I would love to see a full version of the play because I did not want it to stop when it did…(the emotion was great). (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
The play is interesting and I was very interested in the integrated use of BSL and deaf and hearing actors. (Hearing audience).
Firstly because of the plot, but secondly to see more of how it’s staged with hearing and deaf actors. (Hearing audience member)
Really interesting concept and I enjoyed it. (Hearing audience member)
It’s interesting, really different to what I’ve seen - loved that it was a play in 2 languages not an interpretation of one. (Hearing audience member)
Good balance between scenes with all 4 actors performing, and scenes with hearing/deaf actors interacting, great pace throughout. (Hearing audience member)
I particularly liked the bits between one deaf actress and one hearing actress e.g. the swing ‘scene’. I thought the pace in general was fantastic and I really liked the mirror image staging in the first scene. (Hearing audience member)
Girls and Dolls is very good play. I will like to attend for the future full production. (Deaf audience member)
I really would. I thought it was awesome and was very engaged. I wonder what you will do with the set. It felt possible to really get to grips with the characters - even in such a stark setting. I could really imagine everything that was going on. (Hearing audience member)
It was brilliant, the actors were incredibly talented and I fully enjoyed the whole experience. (Hearing audience member)
I am interested in the story. I liked what I saw. It was brilliantly acted all round. (Hearing audience member)
I found it engaging and interesting - funny and heart warming. (Hearing audience member).
I am very excited about this work. Anything that is accessible and includes BSL gets my vote. (Hearing audience member)
This taster has whet my appetite to see how much more this can be developed. (Hearing audience member)
There are always way to explore these styles of staging. Its always refreshing to see this approach in full production. It’s easier on the eye to follow the signing or not having things too static. (Deaf audience member)
Rich additions to plays meditation on time, memory, perception and (mis)communication. (Hearing audience member)
ANY OTHER COMMENTS
Made the scene’s even more intense!!! Loved that nothing was lost in translation or transition. (Hearing audience member) I am co-founder and director of the deaf and hearing ensemble. Keep going! (Hearing audience member)
Occasionally BSL/hearing actors slightly rubbed against each other, but I liked that. Well done. Excellent. (Hearing audience member)
I would love to see it twice so I can grasp both the signed and oral of this play. (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
I am glad to see the play. I was really enjoying myself. I would like to come another play for the future. (Deaf audience member)
I would like to see more dialogue between English and BSL. Sometimes difficult to follow both.
I think it’s not that commonly known that BSL is a completely different language. (Hearing audience member)
Really liked the progression/when the hearing actor starts using BSL gesture. (Hearing audience member)
I would like to see everyone on stage to be much more aware of their bodies as it becomes so much like a physical pieces and it would help me with the clarity of the picture/piece. (Hearing audience member)
It seemed as if the hearing and deaf audience members were sometimes getting slightly different things from the dialogue. Sometimes things were signed and not said and vice versa. I think it worked very well. (Hearing audience member)
Fantastic performances from the actors, can’t believe this was pulled together in 2 weeks, can’t wait to see the full production. (Hearing audience member)
Very interested to see how amazing mime/physicalities as well as signing of the BSL actors helps promote a more physically expressive acting style in the speaking actors. (Hearing audience member)
I generally loved it! I think there might be work to be done with the characters displaying the exact same emotion/expression. I sometimes felt that the Claires’ were a little too different. For example, in the last scene I felt that the deaf actress displayed more anger and aggression where as the hearing actress seemed more confused and upset. I imagine they will be more in sync as you rehearse. After saying that, it was amazing how well it flowed. (Hearing audience member)
I thought when Claire was signing a little in one scene (Tree House) that worked really well. I don’t feel l missed anything - the narrative was very accessible. I loved it - it is very impressive! I look forward to seeing the full production. (Hearing audience member)
Brilliant. I look forward to seeing the full piece. (Hearing audience member)
The moving in and out of signing and talking worked extremely well, helping hearing people to stay fully engaged with characters and follow storyline easily. Maybe the seating could be improved to be able to see characters 100% of the time. (Hearing audience member)
Really enjoyed it. (Hearing audience member)
Do it. It’s a really clear and intelligent idea. It’s really interesting and different and totally possible to see the story unfold and I think the characters work really well. (Hearing audience member).
Can I be involved in a future production. (Hearing audience member).
Made the scene’s even more intense!!! Loved that nothing was lost in translation or transition. (Hearing audience member) I am co-founder and director of the deaf and hearing ensemble. Keep going! (Hearing audience member)
Occasionally BSL/hearing actors slightly rubbed against each other, but I liked that. Well done. Excellent. (Hearing audience member)
I would love to see it twice so I can grasp both the signed and oral of this play. (Deaf audience member with first language Oral English speaking)
I am glad to see the play. I was really enjoying myself. I would like to come another play for the future. (Deaf audience member)
I would like to see more dialogue between English and BSL. Sometimes difficult to follow both.
I think it’s not that commonly known that BSL is a completely different language. (Hearing audience member)
Really liked the progression/when the hearing actor starts using BSL gesture. (Hearing audience member)
I would like to see everyone on stage to be much more aware of their bodies as it becomes so much like a physical pieces and it would help me with the clarity of the picture/piece. (Hearing audience member)
It seemed as if the hearing and deaf audience members were sometimes getting slightly different things from the dialogue. Sometimes things were signed and not said and vice versa. I think it worked very well. (Hearing audience member)
Fantastic performances from the actors, can’t believe this was pulled together in 2 weeks, can’t wait to see the full production. (Hearing audience member)
Very interested to see how amazing mime/physicalities as well as signing of the BSL actors helps promote a more physically expressive acting style in the speaking actors. (Hearing audience member)
I generally loved it! I think there might be work to be done with the characters displaying the exact same emotion/expression. I sometimes felt that the Claires’ were a little too different. For example, in the last scene I felt that the deaf actress displayed more anger and aggression where as the hearing actress seemed more confused and upset. I imagine they will be more in sync as you rehearse. After saying that, it was amazing how well it flowed. (Hearing audience member)
I thought when Claire was signing a little in one scene (Tree House) that worked really well. I don’t feel l missed anything - the narrative was very accessible. I loved it - it is very impressive! I look forward to seeing the full production. (Hearing audience member)
Brilliant. I look forward to seeing the full piece. (Hearing audience member)
The moving in and out of signing and talking worked extremely well, helping hearing people to stay fully engaged with characters and follow storyline easily. Maybe the seating could be improved to be able to see characters 100% of the time. (Hearing audience member)
Really enjoyed it. (Hearing audience member)
Do it. It’s a really clear and intelligent idea. It’s really interesting and different and totally possible to see the story unfold and I think the characters work really well. (Hearing audience member).
Can I be involved in a future production. (Hearing audience member).