{"id":204897,"date":"2025-06-22T10:38:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T10:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/204897\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T10:38:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T10:38:20","slug":"edinburgh-deaf-festival-has-a-vibrant-new-line-up-for-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/204897\/","title":{"rendered":"Edinburgh Deaf Festival has a vibrant new line up for this year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Edinburgh Deaf Festival is back for 2025, with a vibrant programme of shows and events embracing everything from new drama to comedy, music and magic.<\/p>\n<p>After a long, tough but ultimately successful campaign, this unique annual celebration of deaf culture, is laying the foundations for future expansion after securing three-year funding from Creative Scotland.<\/p>\n<p>Last night saw the launch of a programme featuring more than 70 scheduled events and activities from 8-17 August.<\/p>\n<p>Among those taking part in the fourth annual festival are comedians John Smith and Gavin Lilley and Gaelic and Scots singer and musician Evie Waddell, who are all well-known to hearing audiences.<\/p>\n<p>There will be a specially commissioned production written and directed by Nadia Nadarajah, who recently earned huge acclaim as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at The Globe.<\/p>\n<p>Nadia, who is also the festival\u2019s Creative Programmer, said: \u201cThis year, we\u2019ve got a lot that\u2019s new, so we can deliver even more of what we know the deaf community wants.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd we are doing much more to engage with hearing audiences, to give them the opportunity to discover something new by experiencing deaf culture and the work of enormously talented deaf performers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast year was very difficult because of funding challenges and the future looked very uncertain. We had a real struggle but we were persistent, and didn\u2019t want to give up. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, I am really excited, because finally we\u2019ve got the three-year funding from Creative Scotland, which is amazing and gives us the stability to grow in coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As part of the drive to expand the festival\u2019s reach among hearing audiences Evie will perform at Summerhall as well as the Deaf Action HQ and venue in Albany Street.<\/p>\n<p>Among the highlights in this year\u2019s programme are:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Echoes Across Time:<\/strong> Three women, three timelines. In 2000 and 2012 deaf women vanished without explanation. In 2025 small traces of their lives begin to reappear. A specially commissioned new production by Nadia Nadarajah. Performed in BSL with English voiceover for hearing audiences.<\/li>\n<li><strong>John Smith Show\u2019s 20 Years of Laughter:<\/strong> Celebrate two decades of sharp wit and non-stop laughter with one of the UK\u2019s best-known deaf comedians.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deaffy Drag Queeny: Glitter, Gags and GSV:<\/strong> Deaffy drag queens Mary and Danielle bring cheeky charm, outrageous wit and deaf gay Pride to the stage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ivory Cutlery by Evie Wadell:<\/strong> Let your imagination run wild with Evie Waddell as she presents a visual and musical storytelling experience inspired by the magnificently eccentric Scottish poet and singer Ivor Cutler.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gavin Lilley: Signs of the Times:<\/strong> A hugely popular deaf comedian who bridges the gap with hearing audiences with his fresh take on everything from parenthood to travel misadventures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Magic Morgan and Liliana:<\/strong> A family-friendly show packed with illusions, comedy and mime.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scratch Night:<\/strong> An evening of bold new ideas from comedy to experimental acts \u2013 raw creativity which may be the next big thing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Deaf Action <\/p>\n<p>Organised by Deaf Action (the world\u2019s oldest deaf charity and deaf-led organisation which dates back 190 years to 1835) the festival continues the pioneering work that made Edinburgh a world-leader in championing the interests of deaf people.<\/p>\n<p>Philip Gerrard, CEO of organisers Deaf Action, said: \u201cWe have been at the heart of efforts to promote the interests of the deaf community for 190 years, and the Edinburgh Deaf Festival continues that pioneering work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe fought hard to keep it alive, and now it is back and stronger than ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe deaf community has a lively, vibrant and distinctive culture \u2013 along with a multitude of highly talented performers and other creatives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis 10-day festival is a unique chance for deaf people to come together to enjoy and celebrate that culture and to provide a platform for deaf performers to reach hearing audiences and have more of a presence in the performing arts mainstream.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other festival events include a networking session with Scottish-based theatre company Solar Bear, allowing deaf and hearing creatives to connect, a pub quiz, karaoke, discussions, parties and film screenings.<\/p>\n<p>There will be comedy and drama workshops, guided tours of The Georgian House, the Royal Botanic Garden and National Galleries Scotland.<\/p>\n<p>A festival Youth Club for deaf young people aged 10-18 will run from 8-10 August and there will be a parent and toddler group.<\/p>\n<p>The festival, which runs in collaboration with the Fringe, is also working with Summerhall, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival to provide a range of accessible events.<\/p>\n<p>An interpreter and captioning request service will allow deaf people to arrange an interpreter or captioner for Fringe shows that are not accessible.<\/p>\n<p>Deaf Action is working with local businesses to create The Edinburgh Signing Quarter, a network of deaf-friendly caf\u00e9s and bars in the Broughton Street and Canonmills area.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FREE-Edinburgh-Deaf-Festival-2025-Launch-MED-RES-031.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-602455\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theedinburghreporter.co.uk\/2025\/06\/edinburgh-deaf-festival-has-a-vibrant-new-line-up-for-this-year\/?print=pdf\" class=\"pdfprnt-button pdfprnt-button-pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750588700_728_pdf.png\" alt=\"image_pdf\" title=\"View PDF\"\/><\/a><a 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back for 2025, with a vibrant programme of shows and events embracing 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