Ilya Kaminsky's 2019 book-length poem Deaf Republic has been transformed into a theatrical fable by Dublin's Dead Centre company at the Royal Court theatre in London. Set in a town under military occupation, the story begins when a young deaf boy is shot while watching a puppet show. In response, the citizens of Vasenka collectively fall deaf, refusing to speak, respond, or even hear military orders.
The production, directed by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd, uses sign language as a central dramatic force, working with sign language poet Zoë McWhinney. Spoken dialogue, signing, and surtitles are variously combined, while panic and violence are conveyed across all registers. The creators emphasise that deafness, which is metaphorical in the poem, becomes a potent theatrical tool in this staging.
The cast includes Derbhle Crotty as puppeteer Momma Galya, with Romel Belcher and Caoimhe Coburn Gray as the central couple. The design by Jeremy Herbert features scenes screened in dollhouse miniature and replicated at full scale, while a hovering drone scans the audience. Kevin Gleeson's sound design often blurs and muffles the speaking world, enveloping the audience in town square chatter before falling silent.
The production does not offer easy consolation. As Momma Galya warns, poems are no match for a man with a machine gun. The story ultimately asks audiences to sit with defeat, a challenging prospect that resonates with current geopolitical events. The Royal Court's artistic director David Byrne continues to expand the theatre's notion of authorship, with ensembles like Dead Centre acting as auteurs.
