EDINBURGH FRINGE: The Singer at the Traverse, Traverse 1 (1 hr 24 mins)*****

Anything with Cora Bissett’s name on it gets my vote. And as she both wrote and directed this show her genius runs right through it. 

But it’s not just her that makes The Singer so special. Originally a short film, her then co-writer Jamie Rea now takes centre stage, in a role so beautifully acted that your heart will melt. The moment when  he gets the whole audience to sign with him is profoundly moving.

For Rea is deaf and this is a powerful story of how deaf people can hear music in a world where they truly want to be seen and heard. He is Joe, ‘the singer’ in the story; only he sings with his hands, with sign language. 

It’s a play that keeps on giving. New music and lyrics have been provided by Emmy Award-nominee KT Tunstall and playing the washed-up musician who helps Joe realise his dream is Dylan Wood, who recently starred in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s opening production Once, and whose other credits include Hadestown in London’s West End.

Listening to Wood singing and playing his acoustic guitar would be a complete entertainment in itself ‘for hearies’, but the story, from a deaf artist’s point of view, takes theatre to a whole different level.

Rea really owns the stage. It’s not surprising that he won Best Actor for his part in the original short film. No words are needed as he expresses frustration and anger when he fails to be heard in a hearing world. And we share with him the joy which radiates out of him when he does.

There’s a lot going on on stage. Performed in spoken English, British Sign Language and captioning, nevertheless, Bissett manages to meld all three seamlessly. As a story it stands alone but adding to its richness are deaf actor Petre Dobre and Hannah Jarett Scott as The Oracles/Joe’s grandparents. Both bring much laughter to the production, especially the hugely talented Jarett Scott whose multitude of characters and comic timing is a joy to watch.

If you’re ‘a hearie’ you will learn much from The Singer. And if you’re not, get your jazz hands ready. You too will be able to totally embrace this wonderful and inspiring production.

Image: Tommy Ga Ken Wan

The Singer is at the Traverse, Traverse 1 until Aug 30

It then tours:

Sept 9-12: The Lemon Tree Aberdeen

Sept 15-19: The Citizens Theatre Glasgow

Sept 23-26: Dundee Rep