New bilingual RENT production to feature British Sign Language

A new bilingual production of RENT is to run at Leicester’s Curve theatre.

Performed in English and British Sign Language, the workshop performance of Scenes from RENT – a staged performance will run from 7 – 9 March in Curve’s Studio Theatre.

It will explore Jonathan Larson’s acclaimed rock opera through the lens of the isolation and prejudice faced by deaf and hearing communities during the 1980s AIDS crisis.

The company includes both deaf and hearing actors, who will present scenes from the musical in British Sign Language (BSL) and English. Nadeem Islam (The Father and The Assassin, National Theatre, The Bay, ITV) will play Mark, with Melad Hamidi (Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre) singing the role.

Mia Ward (Robin Hood, Derby Theatre) will play Maureen, with Annabelle Terry (The Owl Who Came For Christmas, Curve) singing the role. Cherie Gordon (Boat Story, BBC) will play Joanne, with Charlotte St. Croix (The Wizard of Oz, Curve and London Palladium) singing the role.

Chris Fonseca (Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, 2020, BBC Two) will play Collins, with Kofi Dennis (The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre) singing the role.

Adam Jay Price (Grease the Musical, Royal Caribbean Productions) will play Roger, Alim Jadavji (EastEnders, BBC, The Boy in the Dress, Royal Shakespeare Company) will play Angel, Chaya Gupta (Hansel And Gretel, Shakespeare’s Globe) will play Mimi and Nitai Levi (Masters of the Air, AppleTV) will play Benjamin Coffin III.

Scenes from RENT – a staged performance will be directed by Lilac Yosiphon, with musical direction from Ben Garnett, Curve Resident Creative Stacey McCarthy is Choreographer and Movement Director and Deepa Shastri is BSL Consultant and Creative Associate. Curve’s Lighting Technician Rhys Parker and Assistant Head of Sound and Video Angel Rossell De Pablos will provide lighting and sound design respectively. Visual/Narrative Support comes from Eleanor Field and Creative Captions are by Edalia Day.

The staged performances will bring together a selection of key scenes and hit songs from the show, including ‘Seasons of Love’ and ‘La Vie Boheme’.

For more information and tickets, visit www.curveonline.co.uk