Image is a biro drawing of three faces on what seems to be the off-white lined page of a notebook. On the left is a young male in purple, he has his hand to his mouth and an L scribbled in coral red over his eyes. Next to him is a man drawn in coral, holding a gaming controller, he has a beard and his mouth is open, perhaps in shock or frustration. A large moustache and eyepatch have been drawn over his face in blue and purple. On the right is a young woman drawn in blue, she has short frizzy hair, her eyes and mouth wide open in shock, her hand is over her face, she peers out from behind it. Her face has been scribbled on in coral and a forked tongue drawn coming out of her mouth. There are also scribbles in white and purpple love hearts drawn about the page. Across them all in large yellow lettering is the word Fow in capital letters.

Fow in Edinburgh

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Fow at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Deaf & Fabulous Productions & Taking Flight Theatre Company in coproduction with The Welfare & Theatrau Sir Gâr

On demand from 6th August 2021

Following a successful premiere in Wales earlier this year, we are delighted to be presenting the show as part of Summerhall’s Hybrid Fringe at the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This trilingual piece is presented in association with The Welfare Ystradgynlais and Theatrau Sir Gâr, with tickets available from both Summerhall and the Fringe Box office for all performances between 6–29 August.

Lissa is defensive, deaf and failing university – the last thing she needs right now is to fall in love.

Siôn is a wide-eyed Pontardawe boy with rock star dreams, desperately in love and about to have his heart broken. 

And Josh…well Josh just wants to beat the end of level Boss.

With humour, honesty and A LOT of breakdowns in communication, Fow asks us how we fall in love when we don’t hear each other and finds there is ALWAYS a way if you just look hard enough.

A truly heart-warming love story told online in different languages, including BSL, Cymraeg and English.

Suitable for audiences aged 14+, Fow features integrated captions.

Fow puts hearing audiences in a position that will be very familiar to Deaf audiences – Lissa uses BSL, Siôn mainly uses Welsh and Josh mainly uses English – so only someone who understands all three languages will follow every word of the play. Audiences will be sent a link to watch the show, with a watch party and live Q&A on 27 August. There is also a version available with captions in English throughout, a version with a larger BSL interpreter and an audio introduction to the characters and design of the show.

Fow (definition): BSL lip pattern accompanying a sign meaning a breakdown in communication/inability to understand. No direct translation in English or Welsh, the closest being the phrase ‘That went straight over my head!’

Unless you are someone who understands BSL, Cymraeg and English, there will be parts of the show that will be ‘fow’ for you. This is how we want you to experience the performance and is not a technical error. If however you would like to experience the performance with the reassurance of English captions throughout, we will also have a version for ticket holders that is fully captioned in English. Captioned text in the original version will be in the same language as the dialogue.

A production shot from FOW, the opening scene. Lissa on top left screen tinted blue, looks hungover, and filled with regret, clutching her duvet. Josh bottom centre tinted red wields a sword, he is immersed in a ideo game. Sion top right tinted purple is on a train, wishing he were elsewhere. Bottom right, an illustrated retro tv houses the BSL interpreter.
Production shot from Fow. An illustration of an imagined 80s video game. Bottom right, a BSL interpreter housed inside and illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Josh on screen tinted red, alongside an illustration of a phone saying Mum 9 missed calls. Bottom right, a BSL interpreter housed inside and illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Sion on screen tinted purple, looks to the camera with a happy expression. Bottom right, a BSL interpreter housed inside and illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Lissa on screen tinted blue, looks to the left with a horrified expression. Bottom right, a BSL interpreter housed inside and illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Sion on screen tinted purple, alongside Lissa in blue looking into the camera. Bottom right, a BSL interpreter housed inside and illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Lissa on screen tinted blue, looks to the camera with a horrified expression. On the left, Josh, tinted red laughs, eyes closed. Bottom right, an illustrated retro tv
Production shot from Fow. Lissa on top left screen tinted blue,Josh top right tinted red. Sion boton centre tinted purple. All look into the camera smiling. Bottom right, an illustrated retro tv

“Accessible theatre? Do it properly…Do it like this” The Guardian on peeling/Taking Flight.

“Funny & moving”  British Theatre Guide on Alun Saunders’s award-winning play, A Good Clean Heart.

“A heartwarming, uplifting tale” Wales Arts Review on A Good Clean Heart

 Tickets on sale here

We recommend that you watch Fow on as big a screen as is available to you, especially if you will be using BSL interpretation. 

 Enjoy the show. Mwynhewch!

Supported by Arts Council Wales, Welsh Government, the National Lottery &  Unlimited.

Image is a biro drawing of a young male in purple, he has his hand to his mouth and an L scribbled in coral red over his eyes.
a man drawn in coral, holding a gaming controller, he has a beard and his mouth is open, perhaps in shock or frustration. A large moustache and eyepatch have been drawn over his face in blue and purple.
a young woman drawn in blue, she has short frizzy hair, her eyes and mouth wide open in shock, her hand is over her face, she peers out from behind it. Her face has been scribbled on in coral and a forked tongue drawn coming out of her mouth.

Audio Introduction Notes for Fow are below:

Read more about the cast here
English (UK)
English (UK) Cymraeg
Sgipiwch i'r cynnwys