Graeae director presents own one-woman show at Liverpool Everyman

Graeae Theatre’s artistic director Jenny Sealey brings her own solo show to the Liverpool Everyman this month.

Sealey will present Self-Raising at the Hope Street Theatre on February 22-23 as part of a wider tour, after first showcasing it at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer.

Unravelling the past and facing the future, Self-Raising is described as a blisteringly honest, laugh-out-loud one-woman show about growing up deaf in a family with secrets.

The show, written by Sealey and Mike Kenny, is directed by Lee Lyford and is aimed at audiences aged 14 and over. It contains references to being deaf in a hearing world, abuse, trying to be fixed, adoption, death and bereavement.

Sealey says: “I want audiences to be curious about their families and to think about their own narrative. All of us have a play within us.”

Sealey has spent a lifetime championing stories by Deaf and disabled artists. Her many credits include co-directing the 2012 London Paralympics Opening Ceremony.

She became artistic director of Graeae in 1997. The London-based company, founded in 1980, is passionate about igniting artistic curiosity, championing accessibility and providing a platform for new generations of artists through the creation of trail-blazing theatre.

During her time as artistic director, Sealey has pioneered a new theatrical language developing what are called the ‘Aesthetics of Access’.

Both performances at the Everyman will be relaxed and will use this approach, creatively integrate British Sign Language, Audio Description and captions. Flour used as part of the evening will be gluten free.

Meanwhile Graeae, which is an associate company of the Everyman and Playhouse, will also stage Crips With Chips at the theatre the same week. The night of four short plays on February 24 aims to put the brightest and best Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers centre stage.

Self-Raising is at the Liverpool Everyman on February 22-23. Tickets HERE