The universal experience of parents and children talking past each other is beautifully distilled in Where Our Shadows Meet. The syndrome is intensified by the daughter, Rose, being deaf and her widower father believing she needs to learn to function in an ‘oralist’ world – not that he uses that word. 

The programme note from Equal Voices Creative Consultant Rachel Turner makes it clear that Dad’s attitude flows from the 1880 vote in Milan of the International Congress of Educators of the Deaf (from which deaf educators were mostly excluded) to officially prohibit the use of sign language in schools. 

“The philosophy of oralism has had a huge impact on the lives, identities and education of Deaf people,” Turner writes. “In 2006 NZSL was recognised as an official language in Aotearoa, marking a decisive moment in a shift of perception. Our understanding, since the days of Oralism, has grown immensely. There is still work to be done.”

As with most well-crafted allegories, the focus is on exquisitely created characters and their very relatable relationships. Unlike most folk tales, there are no evil characters. Both father and daughter are driven by love to communicate well with each other, they just have different ideas of how to go about it.

The story of Rose and her Dad is played out in a simple setting of three square boxes, two calico drops and a row of dangling strings that represent the somewhat barred window to the world beyond home. A white dress, a sheet and a blank-paged photo album are the only physical props. Mime is skilfully integrated with the evolving use of NZ Sign Language and spoken language.

Jeremy Mayall’s apposite music accompanies the action and Alec Forbes’ lighting design and operation facilitates the effortless flow through 20-something years of this family relationship.

As Rose, Thora Hübner offers a master class in non-verbal communication, sharing as much about her thoughts and feelings through the essence of her being as she does through NZSL and mime. Her profoundly truthful manifestations of the ages and stages of Rose’s life so far, delivered with a delightfully light touch, is eloquence personified.

Rose’s well-meaning and ever-loving Dad, who works from home, is embodied with heartfelt integrity by Mihailo Lađevac. His determination that “everything will be fine”, on learning of his baby daughter’s condition, his being stuck in the denial stage of grief at the loss of his wife, and his growing frustration that Rose is not ‘listening’ to him while signing too fast for him to keep up, are expressed with the veracity of commedia conventions.

Cian Parker first appears as Rose’s mother in an opening sequence of tableaus with Dad, as adult Rose looks through the album of photos that capture her parents’ romance, marriage and impending parenthood. These snapshot insights make Mum so real that we can only share Rose’s sense of loss as we realise she has gone. Parker also brings a delicious comic sensibility to the verbal and signing Friend Rose conjures up in her dreams, not least to challenge herself.

Director Laura Haughy, who co-devised Where Our Shadows Meet with the actors, has facilitated an exquisitely engaging, insightful and heartfelt production that, in keeping with the Equal Voices kaupapa, balances NZSL and spoken English. “Not everything that is signed is spoken, not everything that is spoken is signed,” she writes in her programme note, “but overall, the dramaturgies weave together to provide an accessible experience for both Deaf and hearing audiences.”

In the (socially-distanced) intimacy of Circa Two, Where Our Shadows Meet offers an experience you can only have live in an actual theatre. You may rest assured that Circa Theatre is managing its foyer space and two auditoria with great integrity. If you book in advance, wear a mask and present your vaccine certificate at the door, you will find your allocated seats are safely socially-distanced.

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