Adapted from the book by Ukrainian-American author Ilya Kaminsky, Deaf Republic marks world-renowned theatre company Dead Centre's Royal Court debut this summer.
The cast of Deaf Republic. Headshots provided by production.
Co-written and directed by Dead Centre’s Artistic Directors Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd, it is co-written with Sign Language Poet Zoë McWhinney. The cast for Deaf Republic includes Romel Belcher (FAME Visual), Caoimhe Coburn Gray (To Be A Machine 2.0, Dead Centre), Derbhle Crotty (The Weir, Royal Court Theatre), Kate Finegan (Dream Factory, Dublin Theatre Festival/Lords of Strut), Eoin Gleeson (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Turbine Theatre) and Lisa Kelly (My Mother Said I Never Should, Fingersmiths).
Set in an occupied territory, Deaf Republic follows a deaf boy who is killed for disobeying orders that he couldn't hear. The next morning, the entire community have woken up deaf. Bringing together a collective of deaf and hearing actors, aerial performers, puppetry, live cinema, and poetry in this groundbreaking new performance heading to Royal Court's Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.
The set designer is Jeremy Herbert, the costume designer is Mae Leahy, the lighting designer is Azusa Ono and the composer and sound designer is Kevin Gleeson. Video direction is by Grant Gee, with puppetry by Cillian O’Donnachadha, aerial consultation by Kat Cooley and the assistant director is Liam Rees. Dramaturgy for Dead Centre is Lydia Gratis, and Dramaturgy for Royal Court Theatre is Jess Latowicki.
Deaf Republic will play at the Royal Court Theatre from 29 August to 13 September 2025.
