Salonica

A groundbreaking physical theatre production exploring a friendship across cultures against the back drop of World War 1. Performed in NZSL, English & Serbian. Accessible for Deaf and hearing audiences.

In 1916 a great multi-national mass of humanity descended on the ancient city of Salonica. Refugees and soldiers created a vast tented city. Hospital ships lay off in the harbour, as a wall of barbed wire was erected. In the lull in the fighting between Christmas 1916 and Easter 1917, two soldiers strike up an unlikely friendship: a Serbian soldier fresh from mountain combat and a Kiwi sapper, survivor of Gallipoli, who has concealed his Deafness to join up, meet. With no shared language they develop a way of communicating through their everyday joys, sorrows and letters home.

With reportage and story-telling in English, Serbian and New Zealand Sign Language, titles in English and scenes in a specially developed form of Visual Vernacular combining natural sign with mime and physical theatre, this new production plays with inclusivity for both Deaf and hearing audiences.

INFORMATION IN NZSL - https://equalvoicesarts.com/2017/10/nzsl-film-salonica-new-zealand-tour/