Everybody has a tribe.
After a successful run in London and off-Broadway, Tribes is now bringing its critically acclaimed story of Deaf culture to Boston. Penned by British playwright Nina Raine and directed by M. Bevin O’Gara (Clybourne Park, Love Person), Tribes is the tale of a young, deaf man named Billy who is born into an outspoken and highly educated British family.
Not wanting Billy to feel as if he doesn’t belong, Billy’s family raises him to adhere to a hearing society.
It is only when Billy meets a young woman with ties to the Deaf community that he decides it’s time to immerse himself in the many wonderful layers of his culture.
“What really drew me to the show [is that] … the story is not about a deaf man where you pity the character and he feels oppressed,” says James “Joey” Caverly, who plays Billy. His hands move precisely and thoughtfully as his interpreter, Kristina Miranda, softly hums his words beside me.
“It’s more about the family that struggles to listen to each other… struggles to understand one another.”
Caverly is making his Speakeasy debut with his portrayal of Billy, a struggling and conflicted young man at a crossroads in his life. A veteran actor of the National Theatre of the Deaf, Caverly’s appeared in ensemble productions before Tribes but says that this production is his most major role to date. “It’s a very touching, funny, and absolutely beautiful play and that’s what made me fall in love,” Caverly says. He describes the part of his character that resonated with him the most, “One thing about Billy is that he’s very observant; he reads people, he understands people, he has that level of empathy … He interacts with his family very well, that’s something I really admired. I, myself, personally really wanted to achieve to his level of empathy.”
A thoughtful and devoted portrayal of the Deaf community and culture, Tribes is a must-see for anyone who’s struggled with fitting in, being understood, and finding your fit within your family.
Everybody has a tribe.
TRIBES
FRIDAY 9.13.13–SATURDAY 10.12.13
CALDERWOOD PAVILION
527 TREMONT ST.
SOUTH END, BOSTON
TIMES VARY/ALL AGES/$25-$55
@SPEAKEASYSTAGE
SPEAKEASYSTAGE.COM