1S1 is a Deaf-led theatre company founded by Dawn Jani Birley. Dawn was born to a third-generation Deaf family in Saskatchewan and identifies herself as culturally and linguistically Deaf. She is a multi-award winning professional Deaf actor with more than 15 years of experience working all over the world. Holding a Master of Arts degree in Physical Theatre from London, it is her desire to continue creating work that challenges people’s perception of Deafness as well as rebutting ideologies and myths surrounding Deafness. Provoking the hearing world is one of the ways to push for positive changes for us as a society.
about 1s1 theatre
1S1 Theatre is created in collaboration with Why Not’s SHARE stream of activities. SHARE projects are partnerships with other independent artists and companies to help produce, present or tour their work.
mission
1S1’s Mission is to create theatre at the intersections of the Deaf and hearing worlds, always from a Deaf-led perspective. 1S1 was established with the goal of bringing balance in how to tell a story and whose stories are told. To create theatre for a hearing audience is one thing, to design theatre for a Deaf audience is another, but to put both together is where the excitement is. 1S1 aims to tell a story from a Deaf-led perspective so we are constantly creating new theatrical languages.
qalb - a journey of the ego
Premiering September 7, 2024
Qalb means heart in Persian, the native language of the beloved 13th century poet, Rumi. Diving into his world of thoughts and poetry, 1s1 Theatre’s latest production Qalb – A Journey of the Ego is about heart and resilience. Inspired by Dawn Jani Birley’s life as a Deaf person facing audism, her struggle for equity is relatable to all dealing with oppression. Birley turns to the philosophy of Rumi to transform her isolation, anger, and frustration into a force of love in the world.
Collectively written by Salla Fagerström, Debbie Rennie, Deb’e Taylor and Dawn Jani Birley. Directed by Debbie Rennie and starring Dawn Jani Birley as Qalb and Deb’e Taylor as Ego.
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to a flame
Summer 2025
To a Flame is a reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, from an intersectional feminist lens to include forgotten Deaf and Black histories. Written by acclaimed Canadian playwright, Erin Shields, the piece looks at the lives of three women: one Black, one White, and one Deaf during the 19th Century, and explores the impact of power and patriarchy on them.
puff
Episodes and Productions
I am Puff is a children’s cartoon created for Deaf and hearing children. The web series combines a mix of live-action and animation, incorporating both American Sign Language and spoken English, with captioning also available. The energetic fictional character Puff demonstrates what it means to be Deaf in a positive light, with lessons in Deafness, sign language, culture, and Deaf identity. The five-minute episodes are a vibrant, colourful introduction to Deaf culture.
Check out Puff!
lady m (margaret)
Premiered as part of the 2023 SummerWorks Festival
A story of a mother’s grief. Without a child there seems little purpose. Resentment and anger build in an exploration of what happens when a heart is broken and the heartache never fades…the dull ache becomes resentment and then anger. This is what drives Lady M (Margaret). Searching for a purpose her hardened heart will lead her to do the unimaginable to get what she wants. Her desire for power to keep her family leads to haunting guilt and swelling paranoia. A new, Deaf-led adaptation of Macbeth that explores Shakespeare’s famous power couple with an intersectional experience for both Deaf and hearing audiences, created by Ramesh Meyyappan.
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