The Singer
Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

Joe experiences music viscerally and physically, feeling rhythm through his body and crafting lyrics that pulse with life and exhilarating originality. When their unlikely creative partnership sparks something extraordinary, ambition and belonging collide. But as prejudice and the music industry’s ableist blind spots close in, their bond is pushed to breaking point.

I started writing this review as soon as I came out of the show but had to wait until the next day to finish formulating my thoughts because there are not enough words in my vocabulary to describe how incredible that experience was. 

The music was amazing and truly felt like I was at a concert - this is genuinely my favourite of KT Tunstall's work having heard much of her previous discography and seeing her last musical Clueless. Much like that show, The Singer deserves a West End run immediately.

Creative captioning by Daniel Hughes brought a whole new meaning to innovation and intelligence. I envy the thought processes behind those designs. The same can be said about lighting by Emma Jones, and set by Jenny Booth. A completely immersive environment was created by this combination and I really did lose track of time in that auditorium - in the very best way.

Jamie Rea is one of the most expressive BSL users I have ever had the privilege of watching. His performance, especially alongside the immaculate vocals from Dylan Wood and Hannah Jarrett-Scott respectively, was mesmerising and magical. Even for those who aren't familiar with theatrical sign language or watching Deaf actors on stage, I would challenge anyone to not be impressed! For me, as a student of the language and who is currently training to be an interpreter, I could not find anything more inspiring to refuel the flame of my passion for this beautiful language and the expansive culture that it comes with.

This show proves that accessibility only benefits everyone when it's done well. It is creative, it is passionate, it is art. It does not need to be an add-on, bonus, or provision only available at certain times or dates. An audience full of profoundly Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people all enjoyed the same brilliant performance because everybody was thought about equitably. This cannot be the last we see of The Singer.

You can book tickets to The Singer here.

Review by Katie