Jamie Rea and Dylan Wood in The Singer at Traverse 1 at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Picture: Tommy Ga Ken Wan
The Singer continues at Traverse 1 at Traverse Theatre until 30 August 2026 (except 17, 24).
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
It is a remarkable experience to be part of an audience communicating with each other in clearly enthusiastic terms without using speech as is commonly understood. BSL (British Sign Language) is fascinating to watch and every word of The Singer is conveyed in BSL and text on a range of lightboxes across the stage. It’s a rich and rewarding blend and wholly appropriate for the story and its audience.
This is the tale of Joe (Jamie Rea) and Andy (Dylan Wood). Joe is deaf, but finds music in the vibrations from the speakers as they pulse rhythm and a degree of pitch. This inspires him to write poetry, lyrics to say things in song that you ‘cannot say by talking’. He meets musician Andy, a one-hit wonder whose ship has sailed, and now busks on street corners.
Circumstances draw them together and there is palpable joy as they jointly learn how to create songs, combining their gifts. And what songs – affecting, melodic with strong lyrics – these are stories set to music. KT Tunstall’s songs cross the bridges between their disparate life experiences.
Cora Bissett’s writing and direction are beautifully realised: the supporting cast of Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Petre Dobre play various characters, differentiated in small costume changes. Jarrett-Scott’s vocal talents are brilliantly showcased in dialogue and song, alongside Dobre’s expressive BSL.
The stage design by Jenny Booth makes super clear choices, defining where the story is taking place and who is involved. The symbolism of Layla, Andy’s daughter, being embodied as a little girl’s satchel with Jarrett-Scott and Dobre sporting unicorn head bands is so perfect!
There is an enchanting moment where Joe asks for the audience to be lit so we can all learn the BSL for a little gem of a number, ‘Find My Feet’, as we become the deaf choir together. Utter delight.
Great story, wonderful music, top rate performances – The Singer is a bit of a unicorn itself: a beautiful, colourful, mythical wonder.
Fiona Orr
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.