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Follow The Signs with Chris Fonseca and Harry Jardine
A fully BSL-led hip-hop gig theatre show, Follow the Signs is performed through BSL, rap, spoken English, movement, and creative captioning, to be shared and celebrated by Deaf and hearing audiences together. It tells the story of acclaimed dancer and choreographer Chris Fonseca: from infanthood when he became Deaf after contracting meningitis, through a school system unable to value his differences, into teenage years where music and dance entered his life, to meeting Raffie Julien, a mixed-race Deaf woman who’s lived experience couldn’t be more different…or is it?
Want to know more? So did we, which is why we caught up with not just Chris, but his co-artistic director and co-creator Harry Jardine ahead of it’s run at the Soho Theatre.
Great to meet you both, shall we begin with intros.
I’m Harry Jardine a co-Artistic Director of Fuse and the co-writer, director and performer in Follow The Signs.
And I’m Chris Fonseca also a co-Artistic Director of Fuse and the co-writer, choreographer and performer in Follow The Signs.
What can audiences expect from the show?
Harry: It is a joyful love letter to owning your identity through the medium of hip hop gig theatre. We delve deep into the lives of Chris and Raffie and their lived experiences. We hope that Deaf audiences will feel represented and seen and hearing audiences will gain a new perspective on what being Deaf means and the rich language and community. Ultimately, you can expect to be moved, entertained, educated and taken on an epic journey of what it truly means to accept who you are and own your identity. All in just one hour!
What was the inspiration behind the show?
Chris: The inspiration for this show was my real life story. We created a 10 minute version back in 2020, which we then made into a hip hop music video. The feedback was amazing and we knew we wanted to make it into a full length piece of theatre. We then invited Raffie to get involved and as she started sharing her life story with us, the play started to take shape. Two Deaf artists with completely different experiences interwoven into a hip hop piece of BSL, rap, dance and physical theatre.
Is the version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Harry: The show has changed massively since we first started writing it back in 2020. We had the amazing Kirsty Housley come on board as dramaturg in 2023, and she helped us rethink the structure and create a much more dramatic piece of theatre.
Chris: We’ve also extended Raffie’s story since we first performed the show back in 2022, which provides a much richer through-line and also allows the audience to see that Deafness is a spectrum and no two people are the same. This also allowed us to explore uncomfortable topics that are rarely addressed on the mainstream stage.
Where will we find the show?
Harry: We will be performing at Soho Theatre and HOME Manchester. The original commission came from Soho back in 2022, and we have continued to build a brilliant relationship with them. The show works so well in their main space as it is end-on, so it really feels like a gig, which is our aim, and the sightlines are perfect for BSL and the creative captions – both of which are a central part of the show.
Chris: We are also gassed to be taking the show to Manchester in November. The incredible Raphaella Julien, who is in the show, is born and raised in Manchester. As the show includes a huge amount of her real-life experiences, it’s vital that the people she grew with – her family, friends and teachers – get to see it.
How important is audience interaction to you?
Harry: Audience interaction is vital for this show. We really want the audience to feel like they’re at a gig and to interact in that way. We aim to break away from traditional theatre conventions and invite the audience to be involved.
Chris: It’s funny, often hearing audiences think it’s polite and ‘politically correct’ to sit silently and only applaud in BSL (waving both hands in the air). But that’s not true. The louder and rowdier the audience, the better! The best shows we’ve done are when the audience is as loud as the bassy hip hop beats playing throughout the show.
What do you hope the audience takes away from the show?
Harry: The show celebrates the importance of clubbing and raving, so we hope the audience leaves wanting to find somewhere to dance like no one’s watching.
Chris: We also hope the show sparks deep conversations about Deaf culture, intersectionality and identity. We love the idea of our audiences going to the pub after the show, having a deep chat about what they’ve learned, and then finding a club to shake a leg until the early hours.
Who do you imagine enjoying the show the most?
Harry: Ultimately, we wrote this show for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. We wanted to put Deaf talent and BSL centre stage and talk about things that often go unspoken. However, the show is for everyone. So far, our audiences have been incredibly diverse, with amazing feedback from all. We’ve made the show as accessible as possible in every sense of the word, and we hope everyone takes something away from it.
Describe a moment during the production process that felt magical or transformative.
Harry: Developing Raffie’s story has been amazing. It took a while for us to get it right, but when we did, it was a very special moment in the rehearsal room. In tech, once we added the video design and lighting, there were tears and goosebumps all over the theatre.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run– for you or the show?
Chris: We are currently in R&D for a new show, a rom-com about the importance of communication in a relationship. The story is about a hearing man and a Deaf woman who fall in love despite a language barrier, and how they navigate that. We’re very excited about it. Watch this space!
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Harry: We’d love to take this show to America, the birthplace of hip hop. We think audiences over there would love it. It’s definitely a dream of us, and hopefully one day it will happen!
If you could have any special guest (living or dead) attend your show, who would it be and why?
Chris: Malcolm X – this show really looks at the intersectionality of being both Black and Deaf, and I think he’d love it. I’m a huge admirer of his, and the Netflix documentary about him and his work changed my life. I’d love to sit with him after the show and talk for hours.
Harry: Bashy. His new album ‘Being Poor is Expensive’ is an instant classic and many of the same themes and topics are addressed in our show. I think he’d love it. It almost feels like a Deaf-led, BSL version of his album, despite us writing it before we heard it.
Will you be frequenting the bar after your show, and if so, are you hoping people might stay to ask you about the show?
Chris: Most definitely! The bar is always full after the show, and it’s thirsty work! Meeting the audience afterwards, having a drink and a debrief, and finding somewhere to dance are just as important as the show in many ways.
Thanks to Harry and Chris for taking the time to chat with us.
Follow The Signs plays at Soho Theatre from 24th September to 12th Oct. It will then transfer to HOME, Manchester between 5th and 9th November.
Further information and tickets for the Soho Theatre are available here.
Further information and tickets for the HOME, Manchester are available here.
