What a drama! Northampton-based actor teaches the tricks of the acting trade to deaf children across the country

Northampton-based actor Alex Nowak helped a group of deaf young people learn the techniques of acting in a virtual drama masterclass on Thursday, 12 November.

The online event was organised by the National Deaf Children’s Society, which supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families.

Under the expert guidance of Alex and fellow actor Charly Arrowsmith, the eight deaf young people, aged between 8 and 15, tried their hand at drama during the fully accessible online masterclass, conducted via Zoom.

After a warm-up exercise, the group delved into the world of performance and did various drama activities based on character-building. They then used found items as props for the many characters they were creating, before finally putting their ideas together to create one big story.

The workshops received glowing praise from the participants and their families, including one parent who said: “I am delighted for my son who was able to join the event, it was so funny and creative for him.”

Alex Nowak has been an actor for 10 years and has appeared in many films, theatre productions and TV shows. He is a member of London-based theatre group Handprint Theatre, which makes theatre for and with young people using storytelling, physical theatre and British Sign Language in order to empower young audiences. The group’s projects are accessible to both deaf and hearing audiences, allowing them to share stories which communicate across language, disability or culture.

Commenting on the workshop, Alex said: “It was absolutely fantastic to see these young people engaged in the workshops, their confidence grew and so much fun was had. I really enjoyed seeing them strut their newfound confidence and perform their characters. They were flourishing and they are the stars of tomorrow!”

Sally McNamara, Activity Co-ordinator at the National Deaf Children’s Society, who helped organise the workshops, added: “I want to thank Alex and Charly for their energy and enthusiasm, which really shone through in her workshop. The deaf young people absolutely adored it. In no time at all they created their own story. They were all brilliant!

“At the National Deaf Children’s Society, we know just how challenging lockdown and this pandemic has been for so many families. We’re running events to bring them together, support them to develop new skills and to meet other deaf young people across the county who are going through similar experiences.”

In addition to the drama masterclass, the National Deaf Children’s Society has organised a wide range of virtual activity workshops for deaf children and young people this autumn, including activities such as creative writing, street dance, illustration and rapping.