Synopsis

In a cacophonous London home, a family’s carefully constructed reality begins to crumble.

Billy, the deaf son of a hearing family, has always been the bridge between two worlds. Raised to lip-read and speak, he’s adapted seamlessly to his parents’ and siblings’ auditory universe. But when he falls for Sylvia, a woman born to deaf parents who is gradually losing her own hearing, Billy’s identity is thrown into turmoil. As he delves deeper into the Deaf community, learning sign language and finding a sense of belonging he never knew he was missing, Billy makes a shocking decision: he will no longer speak to his family until they learn to sign.

Nina Raine’s Tribes is a searing exploration of communication, identity, and the primal need for belonging. Through sharp wit and raw emotion, the play dissects the power dynamics within families and the wider world, questioning how we define ourselves and others. Raine’s dialogue crackles with tension, humour, and pathos, while her deft handling of both spoken and signed language creates a unique theatrical experience that challenges audiences to listen with more than just their ears. When the bonds of family and the allure of a new tribe collide, what gets lost in translation?