Theatre Passe Muraille (TPM) and Cahoots Theatre have joined forces for a unique and innovative co-production, the debut of deaf writer Adam Pottle’s ULTRASOUND, directed by Marjorie Chan, and performed in English and American Sign Language (ASL) with projected surtitles – running now in the TPM Mainspace.
Deaf couple Alphonse (Chris Dodd) and Miranda (Elizabeth Morris) discover they have very different feelings and points of view on having children. Miranda, who is losing her hearing and speech, is just turning 29 and wants to have a baby soon. Alphonse, who is Deaf, is hesitant and wants to wait. He’s very concerned about whether their baby will be born hearing or Deaf, and wants them both to get genetic testing first. Discouraged by the wait times for testing and results, they go ahead and get pregnant – but then Alphonse, acting under the ongoing influence of Deaf friend Nick, who’s seriously into eugenics, pushes for testing on the baby. Questions of trust, identity and bigotry emerge as Alphonse makes it clear that he doesn’t want to raise a hearing child. And he and Miranda have a difficult decision to make.
ULTRASOUND is a beautiful, heart-breaking and informative piece of theatre, and Dodd and Morris do a lovely job with the storytelling. Dodd gives a passionate, layered performance as Alphonse; a playful, loving husband, he struggles with some dark inner conflict about being a Deaf man in a hearing-dominated world. Haunted by childhood family trauma, he is suspicious and fearful of hearing people, and prefers to raise a Deaf child over a hearing child. On the conservative side of the social spectrum – he’s always wondering where dinner is when he gets home – he is easily swayed by his friend Nick’s ideas of genetic purity. As Miranda, Morris is a puckish delight; the more outgoing and forward-thinking of the two, Miranda is a heavy metal fan and aspiring actor who’s determined to follow her dream of playing Shakespeare despite her deteriorating hearing and speech. Her other big dream is to have a baby – and she finds herself having to fight, and ultimately choose between, what Alphonse wants and what she wants. And in the big picture, the decision Miranda faces becomes more about their life together in the face of such opposing views of the world and their identities as Deaf people.
With shouts to set, lighting and surtitles designer Trevor Schwellnus, and projection designer Cameron Davis for the beautifully rendered environment. Modular and minimalist, a square riser serves as the couple’s bed and as a medical exam table; and the multi-levelled painted scrim-covered flats – rising up like a skyline in the background – serve nicely as semi-transparent entrances/exits, as well as a projection screen for the surtitles, and cityscape and environmental images.
Love and pregnancy meet eugenics, pitting Deaf against hearing culture in thought-provoking, moving ULTRASOUND.
ULTRASOUND continues in the TPM Mainspace until May 15. ASL/English Deaf Interpreted (DI) performances are available on May 5 at 7:30pm and May 14 at 2:00pm, followed by Q&A. There will also be one Relaxed Performance on Saturday, May 7 at 2:00pm. “Relaxed Performances are designed to welcome audience members who will benefit from a more relaxed performance environment, including those with an Autism Spectrum Condition, sensory and communication disorder, or a learning disability.” Ticket info here. Go see this.
life with more cowbell 