Hackney Empire will host a special performance of V’s The Vagina Monologues to mark International Sign Language Day 2023.
Directed by Paula Garfield for Deafinitely Theatre, the event will see the show performed in British Sign Language (BSL) and Spoken English by a mix of 20 deaf and hearing women and non-binary people from all walks of life.
The one-off performance aims to raise money for the charity Deaf-initely Women, which provides essential services to make sure all deaf women are able to live free from abuse. This performance takes place on Saturday, September 23 at 7:30pm.
Written almost 20 years ago, The Vagina Monologues is based on writer V’s Vagina Interviews, conducted with 100 women all around the world. This collection of funny, lively and emotional monologues represents the untold experiences of women in a powerful theatrical experience presented for the first time in a BSL performance at this scale; an unmissable celebration of womanhood and sexuality.
The proceeds will support Deaf-initely Women to find and train more deaf people to become qualified Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVA), a specialist professional who works closely with domestic abuse survivors. The UK desperately need more IDVAs as there are only 10 deaf IDVAs to cover the whole of the British Isles.