‘I Prepare For Hours As A Sign Language Performer’

Before Rebecca Palmer steps onstage, she dedicates hundreds of hours to prepare for her performances.

The 20-year-old, from Penkridge, Staffordshire, is a sign language performer in her spare time, helping to make events more accessible for deaf people.

From analysing scripts and researching song lyrics to rehearsing and visually recreating sound effects, Ms Palmer said preparing for shows was “very complex”.

“There is a misconception that performing sign language involves just stepping on stage but it’s a lot more than that,” she said.

The full-time sound engineer said that using sign language to become every single character during a performance was a “great challenge” that she really enjoyed.

“Engaging with different audiences at every single performance is just magical.”

Ms Palmer started learning British Sign Language (BSL) 10 years ago, before combining her love for the language with theatre to become a performer during her teenage years.

Since then, she has featured at more than 20 events across the West Midlands including at The Alexandra theatre in Birmingham and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

She said that sign language was like “creating an art form” and was her favourite way to express herself.

“Once I’m on stage, my head is in the game and I’m in another world, it’s something I absolutely love,” she said.

She recently took on the script of a brand new play Honest Lies at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre which she described as an “extraordinary challenge”.

It involved analysing unfamiliar characters, topics and storylines to depict motherhood and relationships, she said, which was a “privilege” to be a part of.

“This was one of the most rewarding processes and I feel so lucky to share the stage with such talented actors, directors, stage managers and technical team.”

Ms Palmer said that learning sign language had given her the opportunity to learn about deaf culture and the beauty of creating visual interpretations of the world.

“It provides access to a whole new community of people that I really value and love,” she said.

She hoped that the arts would become accessible to all, through providing BSL captioning, audio description and touch tools.