Two-Five-Eight

Deaf performers and audiences get spotlight in new Dallas variety show

Rebekah Covington is one of the hosts of '258.'

Photo courtesy of Prism Movement Theater

The Dallas-based Prism Movement Theater is reimagining what accessible performance can look like with its upcoming 258 (Very Interesting) Deaf Variety Show, a cabaret-style celebration of Deaf performers, Deaf culture, and visually captivating art forms.

Directed by Alix Gavin, Rebekah Covington, and Jeffrey Colangelo, the show promises an evening of dance, circus, clowning, fire performance, and ASL poetry, all intentionally designed with Deaf audiences in mind.

“For years, we’ve had the feeling that Prism’s unique approach to wordless theater would work excellently for the needs of Deaf audiences,” says Colangelo, Prism’s artistic director. “After collaborating with Deaf artists Rebekah Covington and Alix Gavin, we discovered we had the chance to create something that didn’t just make theater accessible, but truly centered Deaf experiences.”

That focus drives every element of 258. Too often, Colangelo explains, “Deaf-accessible” productions require audiences to glance away from the action to watch an interpreter, an arrangement that can cause them to miss pivotal moments. This time, the interpreters aren’t off to the side translating for Deaf audiences. Instead, they’re there for the hearing crowd, translating a show that is performed entirely in ASL and visually rich movement.

“With our upcoming Deaf Variety Show, we’ve designed the performances so the audience will never have to turn away from the action to enjoy it,” Colangelo says. “ASL becomes the movement art we focus on, with our hosts, Alix and Rebekah, speaking entirely in ASL to introduce the acts. It’s truly a show designed by Deaf artists for Deaf audiences.”

Still, hearing audiences are more than welcome. “We highly encourage them to attend as well,” Colangelo adds. “They’ll get to immerse themselves in Deaf culture, while enjoying a night filled with poetry, fire, clowning, and circus.”

The show’s name — 258 — comes from ASL slang meaning “very interesting.” It’s an apt descriptor for a production where every act, from Deaf dancer Kenjuto Jerome to Deaf comedian Sabrina Mercado, has been curated for maximum visual and cultural impact. Clowns Shanthany Wilkerson and Jonah Gutierrez bring physical comedy into the mix, while the glow of candlelight and the intimacy of the cabaret format create a communal atmosphere.

Performances will take place at multiple Dallas venues:

Artstillery Building – August 22 & 23 at 7:30 pm
Bachman Lake Recreation Center – September 5 at 7 pm
Dallas Children’s Theater – September 13 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are $15 and available at prismmovementtheater.org/tickets.

For Prism, 258 is part of a larger mission. Since 2017, the company has expanded its work in underserved Dallas communities, producing original movement-based theater that blends inclusivity, artistry, and community engagement. With 258, which is supported by a Moody Fund for the Arts grant, they’re taking that ethos further, ensuring that Deaf audiences aren’t just accommodated, but celebrated.

accessible performance asl dallas childrens theater deaf and hearing audiences deaf artists deaf audiences deaf comedian deaf community deaf hosts deaf performers deaf variety show deaffriendly performances moody arts fund prism movement theater theater variety show

Movie Review

Andrew Garfield leads peasant rebellion in medieval film The Uprising

Photo by Betina La Plante/Focus Features

Andrew Garfield in The Uprising.

Writer/director Paul Greengrass made his name with a cinéma vérité style of filmmaking that brought immediacy and depth to three Jason Bourne films, United 93, Captain Phillips, and more. In The Uprising, he uses those skills to tell the story of the so-called Peasants’ Revolt in 14th century England.

Greengrass wastes no time starting the main plot as Ploughman (Andrew Garfield) and his fellow villagers object to onerous taxes put on them by the country’s nobility, led by the young King Richard II (Woody Norman), to fund an ongoing war. Ploughman initiates a violent response over the tone-deaf — and unseemly — way the king’s guard go about their business, and the rebellion soon starts to spread across the countryside, with the citizens looking for a degree of autonomy.

The ever-expanding group makes their way toward London to try to make their case to the king himself. Meanwhile, the king’s top advisors, including Archbishop Sudbury (Stephen Dillane) and Treasurer Hales (Tom Hollander), try to usurp power from the inexperienced monarch even as the king’s mother (Katherine Waterston) tries to get him to be more assertive.

The history of the English monarchy is long and lurid, as Shakespeare detailed in multiple plays, including Richard II. Though the events in the film took place almost 650 years ago, it’s easy to see parallels between what the peasants were fighting for and modern-day politics. Greengrass’ storytelling intent is solid, and the righteous anger the citizens feel is initially relatable and palpable.

But the populism theme of the story soon gets bogged down in drudgery and minutiae that is difficult to understand, especially when the details are lost in the thick regional English accents. The leaders of the rebels — including John Ball (Jamie Bell), Wat Tyler (Cosmo Jarvis), and Alyce (Thomasin McKenzie) — are shown doing a lot of planning, but the strong feelings they have about their quest don’t come across well, leaving the audience as passive observers.

When there is action, Greengrass and his team employ a frenetic style that is not great for comprehension. While the gist of what is happening and what side is winning is legible, individual moments go by so quickly so as to be nearly meaningless. Save for Ploughman, any connection that has been made with various characters proves futile, as Greengrass doesn’t seem to have any time for emotion. Scenes that should feel thrilling or heartbreaking instead come off as empty.

Garfield is a two-time Oscar nominee who has done great work across multiple genres. He’s fine in this role, but whether it’s the story, the filmmaking, or something else, he’s not as captivating as usual. The same goes for other strong actors like Bell, McKenzie, Dillane, Hollander, and Waterston, who each seem to be giving their all to their performances but are somehow muted in the process.

Done right, The Uprising could have been a rip-roaring account of people standing up against their oppressors. What Greengrass has made, though, is a film that can’t translate its medieval story for a modern audience and concentrates too much on unexciting elements and too little on thrilling ones.

---

The Uprising is now playing in theaters.

movies film reviews