Deafinitely Youth Company Announces GARGANTUA

Deafinitely Youth Company today announces Carl Grose's Gargantua as their youth production, which will run twice on 23February. Directed by Rachael Merry, the production will be open to Deafinitely Youth Company family members.

When Mr. and Mrs. Mungus have a baby it isn't the bouncing blue-eyed boy they were hoping for. After a two-and-a-half year pregnancy, Mini Mungus gives birth to a monster - one with an accelerated growth rate and an insatiable appetite for anything that moves (including joggers). But when sinister military scientists become intent on cloning an army of giant babies from the giant, he breaks his chains and escapes. The world can only watch in horror as he embarks on learning how to walk and rampant destruction. Who will stop this freak of nature? Who will decide his tragic fate? And who, more importantly, will change his nappy?

Carl Grose's writing credits for theatre include The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), The Hartlepool Monkey (Fuel Theatre), Gargantua (National Theatre) and Wormy Close (Soho Theatre). Co-writing credits include Tristan and Yseult (National Theatre).

Rachael Merry's directing credits for Deafinitely Theatre includes These Bridges (Bush Theatre). Her acting credits include Mirror Mirror and Peace & Bicycle Grease (UK tour).

In 2002 Paula Garfield set up Deafinitely Theatre alongside Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face in mainstream media. The company launched with a sell-out première of Deaf History at The Gate Theatre in London. In May 2012, the company performed the first ever British Sign Language Shakespeare play at The Globe Theatre, Love's Labour's Lost, celebrating its 10-year anniversary. In 2018 Deafinitely won the Off West End Award for Best Production for its site-specific production of Mike Bartlett's Contractions, their production 4.48 Psychosis was nominated in the design category in the same year.

The company's vision is a world where deaf people are a valued part of the National Theatre landscape, recognised for the excellence of their work. Deafinitely Theatre is the first professional deaf-launched and led theatre company in the UK that works bilingually in British Sign Language and spoken English and produces work that caters to audiences of all ages. Deaf theatre has a vital contribution to make to the UK's diverse and vibrant theatre landscape. Deafinitely Theatre challenges barriers to training and opportunities and embraces the deaf world's diversity. The company work hard to nurture the next generation of deaf actors, writers and audiences through its Deafinitely Youth Theatre and Deafinitely Little productions for young people, plus its Hub training and development programme for adults.