David Bellwood Expand David Bellwood David has worked in theatre for over 15 years, having started as a dancer in the world tour of Riverdance. He is the Senior Marketing and Access Officer at Shakespeare’s Globe, where his job entails ensuring equal access for patrons, employees and creatives to the theatre’s productions, educational work and museum space. He is the arts lead on the Southwark Dementia Action Alliance, working on infrastructural and social changes in the community to aid those living with dementia. He is an advocate for inclusion of Deaf, disabled and learning disabled performers and works with several companies to promote inclusive work.
Max Barber Expand Max Barber Max is currently working at BSLBT, as a Digital Editorial Assistant. He has been involved in the deaf arts for several years, in various areas including Deafinitely Youth in 2015 (as a very fresh-faced 19-year-old!). At Deafinitely Youth, he acted in Black Out (2016), directed a short play You (2017), as well as taking part in their various workshops over the years. Max has since branched out into writing in his personal time, currently working on a playscript as well as a film - this was kickstarted by his participation in Deafinitely Hub Writers Group, when his short script Shirts & Dresses was performed as part of the showcase. Max values Deafinitely Theatre on a personal level, and is very proud of be a part of the company.
Becki Haines Expand Becki Haines Becki is the JCEO | Executive Producer for Coney and is passionate about the role the arts can play in wellbeing and our quality of life. Becki oversees the programme and Coney’s cross-sector producing partnerships, while giving Coney resilience and providing a framework that supports the company’s ambitions and growth. She has over 12 years experience producing performance work with a focus on inspiring settings outside of traditional cultural buildings or using those buildings imaginatively; from garages, to cafes, schools, foyers, libraries, pavements, disused shops, museums, probation services, workplaces, and once at a funeral. Her work has been presented at the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, the Barbican, the Roundhouse, Glastonbury, Latitude and extensively across the UK. She’s produced projects in 9 countries; from a live silent film on the lake inside the Museum of Art in Kochi, to a 5-minute Oliver Jeffers adaptation for one child at a time at an orphanage 4-hours drive outside of Cairo. Alongside her work with Coney, Becki is also the Co-Director for the Total Theatre Network; building recognition and support for the independent performance sector in the UK across performance, dance, circus, live art, cabaret and beyond. Each year producing the Total Theatre Awards, Becki promotes discussion around experimentation, risk and excellence through non-hierarchy and peer to peer dialogue, championing community led decision making. In recent years the Total Theatre Awards have recognised artists including Jess Thom, Le Patin Libre, Selina Thompson, Nikki & JD, In Bed with My Brother, Le Gateau Chocolat, Circumference, Scottee and Oona Doherty. Becki is a member of The Creative Industries Federation, The Allbright Academy, the School of Social Entrepreneurs and is a Clore 42 Alumni. Previous artists Becki has worked with include Bootworks, Theatre Ad Infinitum, Mark Storer, Blind Summit, Ridiculusmus, 1927 Productions, The Paper Birds and Shunt.
Cathy Heffernan Expand Cathy Heffernan Cathy Heffernan is a freelance producer director with experience in investigative journalism and observational documentary-making. She started out in TV working as a researcher on Hands On, a magazine programme for the Irish Deaf community on RTE1 in Ireland but made a detour into print journalism, working at the Guardian as a reporter and news subeditor for over five years. During this time, she co-produced Deaf Sisterhood and directed Crossing the Divide for the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust. Leaving the Guardian in 2013 she took part in Channel 4’s investigative journalism programme that year and worked as a development assistant producer on Blakeway Productions’ Dispatches team. In 2014 she directed an observational documentary following a theatre company translating A Midsummer Night’s Dream into BSL to be performed at the Globe for the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust. She has also directed some feature-length programmes for BBC See Hear and produced a film about deaf education for Channel 4 News. She is currently working in documentary development at Postcard Productions. She is a keen theatre-goer – one reason she loves living in London is the vast array of shows performed in BSL or with captions. She has been a Deafinitely fan for many years and loves seeing how the company interprets well-known stories into BSL.
Mark Hopkinson Interim 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.
Dafydd Jones Expand Dafydd JonesDafydd Jones is a qualified accountant who has worked a wide range of organisations. He became a member of Deafinitely Theatre Board due to his interests in the art and theatre world. As a member of Deafinitely board, Dafydd contributes and provides comments on its financial performance and also its artistic performance. As part of his interests in the art world, he delivers BSL presentations at galleries and museums.
Ben Qasim Monks Expand Ben Qasim Monks Ben is an arts producer based between Exeter and London. He is currently Executive Director of improvisation company Improbable,whose recent projects include Lost Without Words, an improvised show with actors in their 70s, 80s and 90s at the National Theatre; a new collaboration with Philip Glass, Tao of Glass, at Manchester International Festival; and revivals of Glass' operas Akhnaten and Satyagraha at ENO, Metropolitan Opera New York and LA Opera. Improbable also runs Devoted & Disgruntled, an ongoing conversationabout the future of theatre and performing arts; and holds the iii, the International Institute of Improvisation. Before joining Improbable Ben ran his own company, Supporting Wall, where he produced shows including Mike Bartlett's BULL at theYoung Vic (winner of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre) and five premieres by Philip Ridley including Radiant Vermin (Soho Theatre), Dark Vanilla Jungle (Royal Exchange Manchester) and Tender Napalm (Southwark Playhouse). Ben's other work includes producing the Women Centre Stage Festival at the National Theatre; as marketing manager then producer of Birds Eye View, the UK's Festival of women filmmakers at BFI Southbank, Curzon and the Barbican; and at the Koestler Trust, delivering arts mentoring for prisoners and secure patients. Alongside Deafinitely, Ben is a trustee of Sphinx Theatre and the Multi-Story Orchestra, and is a founding panel member of ARTCRY.
Louise Stephens 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.
Kimberley Thomas-Currie Expand Kimberley is a producer, general manager and theatre consultant. She has worked across the commercial, subsidised and fringe sectors and has extensive experience of programming both International and fringe festivals in Edinburgh and Brighton. Having worked with companies including The Old Vic, Assembly, Adam Spiegel Productions and Riverside Studios, Kimberley’s background includes producing commercial West End Productions and national tours, as well as working with creative teams and commissioning new work. She has consulted on production general management, large-scale capital projects, redesigning theatre spaces, access and sustainability, and overseen operations of complex organisations. Her passion lies in opening theatre to new audiences and increasing diversity in the voices and stories we experience. Kimberley’s current focus is on advising and supporting producers and artists, and commissioning new work through her own production company.