Theatre

Not By Bread Alone

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Description: If you're questioning whether you should clap during a play, you know you're watching something unusual. In the case of Not By Bread Alone, your hesitation isn't because you aren't inspired, but rather because the cast are deaf-blind actors. A production of the Nalaga'at Center in Israel, the home of the only professional deaf-blind acting company, Not By Bread Alone is set against a backdrop of bread making and is made up of vignettes that provide insight into how the actors experience the world. Most of the company suffers from Usher Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes acute deafness at birth, followed by gradual loss of vision. Communicating mostly through touch, sign language, or mime, they reveal their dreams, memories, and ambitions. Along with the play, Nalaga'at transported two other key elements of the center; their sign language-only Café Kapish, where patrons can pick up light fare, and their BlackOut Restaurant. Highly recommended, the BlackOut Restaurant offers a pre-show meal in total darkness served by blind waiters. It's an adventure that activates your senses and enhances your intake of the performance. As for acknowledging your enjoyment of this humbling evening, the actors invite you to break bread with them after the show. And just FYI: clapping is encouraged; it's translated through touch.
- Mindy Bond, Flavorpill