Paula Garfield Artistic Director Expand Paula Garfield An actor, director, workshop leader and organiser, Paula has worked on a variety of television, film and theatre projects over the past fifteen years. She went on to establish Deafinitely Theatre with Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face in mainstream media. She has produced and directed many plays and worked extensively in TV, including Channel Four’s Learn Sign Language, Four Fingers and a Thumb, BBC’s Hands Up and Casualty, plus appearances in every series of the BBC's deaf drama, Switch. For Deafinitely Theatre she has directed Two Chairs, Motherland, Children of a Greater God, Playing God, Double Sentence and Gold Dust. She has also devised and directed The Boy and the Statue for Deafinitely at the Tricycle Theatre and on a London schools’ tour. In 2012, as part of Deafinitely’s 10th anniversary, Paula directed Love’s Labour’s Lost for the Globe to Globe Festival at Shakespeare’s Globe, followed by Tanika’s Journey at Southwark Playhouse. Paula directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe in 2014 and a national tour of children’s production Something Else and Grounded at the Park Theatre in 2015. Paula’s production of Contractions for Deafinitely Theatre won the off West End Award (Offie) for ‘Best Production’ 2017.
Frankie George Executive Director Expand Frankie George Frankie studied at the University of Kent at Canterbury and graduated with a Masters in Creative Producing in 2008 before going on to work at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre under Michael Grandage and later with Josie Rourke. In 2012, she moved to the Michael Grandage Company and worked on such productions as Privates on Parade, Peter and Alice, The Cripple of Inishman, A Midsummer Nights Dream and Henry V in the West End. In 2014 she moved to the Flying Music Company where she worked as Senior Production Coordinator on shows such as Thriller Live - West End, on tour and globally. In 2015, she decided to move away from the commercial sector and return to her roots in subsided theatre and specifically for community arts. Deafinitely Theatre was the perfect opportunity and she now works closely with the company’s Artistic Director to deliver the artistic, operational management, social inclusion aims and the delivery of the Theatre’s activities.
Louise Stephens Chair Expand Louise Stephens Louise Stephens is a dramaturg specialising in the development of new writing. As in-house dramaturg or literary management personnel, she has worked at the Traverse Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. She has worked as a dramaturg or script reader with theatre companies throughout the UK and Ireland, including the National Theatre of Scotland; Tron Theatre; Tiata Fahodzi; Curve, Leicester; Live! Theatre; Rifco, and the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland. Her dramaturgical work with maker/performers includes Rachael Young (I, Myself and Me), FellSwoop (Palmyra: Total Theatre Awards 2017) and Jenna Watt (Flâneurs: Fringe First 2012; Faslane, Fringe First 2016). She is the Dramaturg for the Abbey Theatre, Amharclann Na Mainistreach, where her recent work includes This Beautiful Village (Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards Winner, Best New Play 2019) and 2020's Dear Ireland project. She has admired Deafinitely’s productions, ethos and working methods for a long time and is delighted to serve as a trustee for the company. She signs to BSL Level 3 and recently began to learn ISL, completing QQI Award Level 3. She has a PhD in Creativity Management from the University of St Andrews.
Mark Hopkinson Vice Chair Expand Mark Hopkinson Mark comes to Deafinitely theatre with a strong background in education and training. Following work as an access and development officer for deaf people in different London boroughs, Mark has spent the past 19 years working for City Lit in a variety of teaching and management roles. Since 2014, he has been head of department for Sign Language and Lipreading. Over the years, Mark has taught and assessed all levels of BSL, from introductory to Level 6 and is a qualified Internal Verifier, also providing consultancy and advice for BSL tutors in other colleges. Mark has lectured on the City Lit/London Met University ‘Deaf Studies’ degree and has coordinated a number of training programmes for external businesses across London. He is hoping that his experience will lend itself to supporting the development of Deafinitely Theatre; he has a particular interest in accessibility. Mark has also been a member of the London Deaf Drama Group for over 15 years, enjoying all that amateur theatre has to offer.
Sanchu Iyer Expand Sanchu Iyer Sanchu is familiar with Deafinitely theatre as she was one of the participants for Deafinitely’s creative writing group for two years (during which period she showcased two of her short plays) and she has worked with staff from Deafinitely youth project during their outreach work in a school where she had worked. Prior to the inception of the theatre, she attended BDA’s creative writing retreat where she first met Paula. Sanchu is passionate about global justice, social equality and poverty alleviation. She has been involved in a number of environmental, community and campaign voluntary work such as CSV, VSO and CAFOD. She has trusteeship experience as she was a trustee for Deaf Ethnic Women’s Association (DEWA) and a trustee and chairperson for Aurora Deaf Aid Africa (ADAA). Currently she’s a PhD candidate for Heriot Watt university.
Liina Lowe Expand Liina Lowe Liina is profoundly Deaf and has been working in the Finance department at the Deaf-led health charity SignHealth for over 5 years. They are working to improve Deaf people's health and wellbeing through campaigning and they provide a range of services including social care, therapy and domestic abuse which are all delivered by Deaf people to Deaf people directly in British Sign Language. Liina has a passion for Deaf performances, and has been supporting the access of it for a long period as it is extremely important in culture within the Deaf community and great opportunity to influence new people to get involved. She hopes to offer her skills as a trustee in an environment where she can bring real value to Deafinitely's board.
Tom Robbins Expand Tom Robbins Job title: Head of Cultural Investment Fund, Senior Policy Advisor at DCMS Tom is a senior policy advisor in the Department for Digital, Cultural, Media and Sport, with a background in arts policy, public finance, and project delivery. Tom has previously worked in HM Treasury including working on DCMS Spending and welfare policy. He enjoys making art in his spare time and has a strong interest in improving the accessibility of arts and culture.
Jasmine Whipps Communications Officer Expand Jasmine Whipps Jasmine Whipps (Jazzy) is a deaf content creator in the UK. The main aim of her online content is to spread positivity about life as a deaf person and enable hearing people to find out more about deaf awareness and sign language. Jazzy has worked in TV with a number of brands in commercials, as a presenter and a performer. She is very passionate about working with brands to raise deaf awareness. She has completed acting training with The National Youth Theatre at Rose Bruford in 2022 and The Access to Acting Course 2022 at RADA. Working at Deafinitely Theatre, Jasmine is a Communications Officer, undertaking a variety of tasks; editing videos (using her experience editing videos since 2015), action DT’s social media presence, including promotion of events, productions, and activity as well as relevant industry news.
What am I allowed to spend the £1000 on? Expand The bursary is to support freelancers develop their creative practice, so you can use the funds to pay yourself for your time, or to contribute toward any costs involved in your creative activity. You could work on absolutely anything, as long as it is connected to your theatre work. This could include: Developing a new idea. A period of research. A period of writing. A period of rehearsing. Collaborating with another theatre maker. Training Preparing a show reel or video to showcase your work. We welcome applications from deaf or hard of hearing theatre practitioners and performers at any stage of their career. You could be a writer, director, designer, choreographer, actor, dancer, stage manager, technician, make-up artist, community practitioner or producer – or any other role in the theatre industry.
Can I spend the £1000 on my time? Expand Yes. The bursary is to support your time in developing your creative practice and work.
What are you looking for in applicants? Expand We are looking to support a variety of deaf or hard or hearing theatre practitioners and performers at different levels of their career and with different levels of experience, so we will choose applicants based on a mixture of different levels of experience. We are also looking to be inspired by the ideas and creative practice that you would like to develop in Spring 2021. We will select 20 applicants on this basis.
How do I send my video application? Expand You can send your video to us on any video sharing platform. We would recommend you send your video to us by WeTransfer: https://wetransfer.com. You need to answer two questions by video and also email us a very short written form completing some personal details and additional information section. All of the information is in the application form here. Please email your videos and completed form to [email protected].
I am deaf but don't use sign language, can I still apply? Expand Yes. Any deaf or hard of hearing freelance theatre practitioner or performer may apply, even if you don’t use BSL. Please let us know if you need to submit your application in a different format to a written application by emailing us at [email protected].
I am hard of hearing can I apply? Expand Yes. Any freelance theatre practitioner or performer who is hard of hearing may apply.
I am in full time education, can I apply? Expand Unfortunately, we are only able to accept applications from people aged 18+ and not in full-time education.
I recently graduated from university and don’t have much experience working in the theatre industry, can I still apply? Expand Yes, we welcome applications from theatre makers at all stages of their careers, even if you are just starting out professionally.
I don't have any theatre experience, but I want to start. Can I still apply? Expand Yes, please apply even if you are just starting out professionally as we are going to offer these bursaries to theatre makers with range of experience and at different levels of their career. We would love to hear your ideas for making work!
I want to work in TV and film. Does my idea need to be related to theatre only? Expand We welcome applications from anyone working in live performance (including theatre, cabaret, stand-up comedy) even if you have also worked in TV and film or are interested in those areas.
I don't have a full idea yet, but I want to use the bursary to come up with an idea for a new project. Can I do this? Expand Of course! These bursaries are to help freelance deaf and hard of hearing theatre makers at this difficult time during the Covid-19 pandemic and you can certainly use the funds to help you start a new project.
Kimberley Thomas Expand Kimberley Thomas Kimberley is currently General Manager of National Theatre Productions. She has worked across the commercial, subsidised and fringe sectors. Kimberley’s background includes producing commercial theatre productions in the West End and on tour, commissioning new work and extensive experience programming major festivals. She has consulted on production general management, large-scale capital projects, and overseen the operations of London theatres. Her passion lies in opening theatre to new audiences and increased inclusion and diversity on and off stage.
Open Casting Call no Deafinitely Theatre is looking for brilliant deaf and hearing actors for two roles for a new touring production in 2021. Expand Deafinitely Theatre is working with Paines Plough on an exciting new bilingual production that will be presented in London and have a UK tour in 2021. There is open casting for two male roles, playing age 30. One deaf Black British-Nigerian/West African role and one hearing Black British-Nigerian/West African role. The character is warm and charismatic, a joker. Active, popular and quick-witted. Seemingly very self-confident with a roguish charm, but hiding a sensitivity he has been conditioned not to show. Could this be you? You can find the full application pack with more information about the play, roles and dates on the Paines Plough website. The closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 17 November. All submissions will be considered, with a final selection to be invited to audition online.
Dilara Earle Youth Coordinator Expand Dilara Earle In 2007, Dilara won the Young Film Critic of the Year (sensory-impaired category) - founded by filmeducation x National Film Schools Week Award - and promoted the competition at the House of Commons during publicity campaigns. She went on to study a BA in Digital Film and Television at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD). During her university years, she volunteered for the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) and also wrote for Cochlear Implanted Children’s Society (CICS), British Association for the Teachers Of the Deaf (BATOD) and other publications. After extensive solo travels in Asia and Australasia, when she worked for Deaf Aotearoa and wrote for travel blogs to champion travelling with a disability, she moved to Bristol in 2018 to work at the BBC with See Hear, as a researcher. She now splits her time between Bristol and London.