Shows and events Past shows and events Past productions Barrier(s) cast | creative team | reviews | about the show | post-show talks | media deafinitely theatre, birmingham rep, camden people's theatre and leeds playhouse present Love has no single language. Alana and Katie come from different worlds. One is hearing, one is deaf. Together, they navigate the joys and struggles of love, communication and survival in a world that keeps putting up barriers. When the world tries to silence you, how can you hold on to love? Eloise Pennycott’s Barrier(s) is a powerful and intimate love story. Full of warmth, humour and the fight to be understood. Critically acclaimed for its honesty and gripping storytelling, Barrier(s) is a theatrical experience that speaks volumes – even without words. cast em prendergast Em plays Alana. Their credits include The Odyssey (National Theatre), Animal Farm (Leeds Playhouse), and A Clear Comfort (Van Gogh House). They also recently participated in the 2025 Soho Writers lab, developing a lesbian adaptation of Yerma. zoë mcwhinney Zoë plays Katie. She is a graduate of École de Théâtre Universelle’s ‘Visual Theatre in French Sign Language’ program. Her credits include Everyday (Deafinitely Theatre), Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe), and A Night in Sign (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse). She also contributed to Dead Centre’s stage adaptation of Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Republic. click to read the cast's full biographies! creative team writereloise pennycott directorpaula garfield associate directorlynn stewart-taylor dramaturgrio matchett set, costume & video designerpaul burgess lighting designertom mulliner sound designermarie zschommler intimacy directorimogen francis movement directorraphaella julien stage manager(on the book)kimberley towler assistant stage managerfran osimani production managerdavid phillips assistant costume designersophie barnard av programmerjasper mattel tour dates & tickets the rep, birmingham date: Saturday 18th October - Saturday 25th October 2025times: 2:00pm matinees & 7:00pm evening shows tickets closed HOME, Manchester date: Thursday 6th November – Saturday 8th November 2025time: 7:45pm evening shows tickets closed camden people's theatre, london date: Tuesday 11th November – Saturday 29th November 2025times: 2:00pm matinees (Thursdays and Saturdays only) & 7:30pm evening shows tickets closed For post-show talks, please see below for specific dates. reviews ‘important and hard-hitting from a company that continues to educate and entertain.’the guardian ★★★★'a moving and subtly radical piece of theatre, filled with warmth and humour.’west end best friend ★★★★★ 'one of the most incredible theatre companies I’ve seen.’roe reviews theatre ‘filled with humour and warmth and charismatic performances’the stage about the show runtime 1 hour 50 minutes, with 20 minutes interval. show info The show is suitable for audiences aged 16+.Content warning: strong language, loud noises, pregnancy, discrimination against disability (ableism) and deaf (audism), and death. For more details, you can download our content warning guide. Please be careful because the guide contains heavy spoilers. The performance will be a mix of British Sign Language, spoken English and captions. To avoid spoilers, please don’t share photos of the performance. We want the production to be a surprise for everyone and something to be experienced fully in the moment. post show talks Join us after these performances of Barrier(s) for a special post-show Q&A talk hosted by Deafinitely Theatre’s Artistic Director, Paula Garfield MBE. Each panel will feature special guests sharing personal reflections connected to the themes of the show and as well as answering all your questions! Open to all audience members attending these shows, these 20 minute Q&A sessions will have BSL and English interpretation available. Friday 7th Nov after 7:45pm show (HOME, Manchester) Saturday 22nd Nov after 2pm show (Camden People's Theatre, London) Thursday 27th Nov after 7:30pm show (Camden People's Theatre, London) media rehearsal trailer be part of barrier(s) You can support Barrier(s) and help become a part of the story we tell. Any amount gifted big or small is hugely appreciated. You can see some examples of what your money could support here. Deafinitely Theatre would like to thank our funders: Arts Council England Cockayne Grants for the Arts - a Donor Advised Fund, held at The Prism Charitable TrustEsmée Fairbairn FoundationGarfield Weston Foundation Booking for this event has now closed. Manage Cookie Preferences