A skin-tinglingly, heart-bursting play about an unlikely musical collaboration between a deaf songwriter and a world-weary busker, The Singer might just be the new Once.
It’s not often you hear of a short film being rewritten for the stage. The only other example that immediately comes to mind is the 2007 Irish film Once, which coincidentally shares a lot of the themes in this film-turned-play production of The Singer.
Written and directed by Cora Bissett, with music and lyrics by beloved Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, The Singer is an hour and a half of not only great music but also top-notch storytelling.
The original short film was conceived by Bissett and Jamie Rea, who stars as deaf songwriter Joe in both the film and this production at the Traverse Theatre. With a dream of performing his own music, Joe stumbles upon Andy, a busker, in whom he finds a friend and close collaborative partner. But as they start making music together, their lives diverge and intersect again, forcing each of them to come to terms with what they really want from life (versus what they think they want).
Every member of the cast is overwhelmingly gifted and brings their A-game to a piece that demands massive amounts of energy, heart, and craft. Jamie Rea gives the performance of a lifetime, pulling at your heartstrings while also efficiently driving the plot forward with his clear, unforced, and motivated choices. He’s also an incredible listener, giving and receiving constantly – something apparent in his performance in the short film as well. It’s his gravity and inner life that help his fellow castmates blossom instantly around him.
Actor Hannah Jarrett-Scott also deserves a particular shout-out for her absolutely mind-blowing ability to transform from one character to the next – physically, vocally, energetically – and with such graceful humility (and a heart-crumbling voice), you wonder when you’ll see her on a stage next. Her almost-narrator character, played alongside the fantastic Petre Dobre, is written in such a way that is not for the faint of heart. Jarrett-Scott nails it from the start.
The only soft spot of the play is its unfortunately predictable ending and final message – that Joe doesn’t need anyone else to perform for him. He’s perfectly capable of being the star himself. As a result, the piece lacks a bit of engagement toward the end, and the audience palpably got a little restless in their seats. But music by the wickedly talented KT Tunstall kept it all flowing (and bopping). Dylan Wood, who plays Andy, did some truly brilliant work bringing Tunstall’s music and lyrics to life onstage. His thorough character work and deft musicianship ensured that the music fell right into place, not just complimenting the story but fully driving it as well. Thanks to his and Tunstall’s talent, this was not just a play with music but a whole, integrated story in which the characters and music worked together to create a tale it was impossible not to care about.
Most importantly, The Singer is a shimmering example of how important it is to fund stories by and about Deaf artists. There are so many ways in which The Singer lightly tosses up and breaks apart the Us vs. Them barrier between those who identify as profoundly Deaf/hard of hearing and “hearies” (hearing persons). The play reminds us all that there are no rules for overcoming a language barrier. In fact, the only thing stopping any of us from communicating (and potentially making beautiful art) with each other is a failure to turn around and say hello when someone taps us on the shoulder.
Show Listing: https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/the-singer
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: Traverse Theatre
Dates: until 31st August
Time: various
Ticket prices: £27.50 / various concession prices available
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 14+