Nairn-born actress takes on lead role in new British Sign Language comedy series
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A NEW comedy series sees a Nairn-born actress taking on a lead role in a brand new British Sign Language show released this month.
Comedian and actress Amy Alexander features in the new mockumentary Coffee Morning Club, working alongside some of Britain’s well-known deaf actors.
The series tells the story of a group of deaf club members fighting to save their deaf club from closure, with candid and hilarious results.
In the series, Alexander – who recently starred in feature films The Phantom of the Open and The Most Reluctant Convert alongside fellow Nairn actor Nicholas Ralph – plays one of the core lead characters, Sophia, a keen, earnest Deaf club volunteer with only a little knowledge of BSL.
The actress used a lot of improvisation in English and BSL and Sign Supported English (SSE) to impersonate Sophia as she navigates being a hearing person in a Deaf community as they face disaster.
She said she was delighted to perform in this new "funny, groundbreaking series".
A BSLBT spokesperson said the show is receiving "appreciative" feedback from the Deaf British Sign Language Community and hearing community alike.
"It really needs to be seen to be believed, and the story and characters are much closer to reality than some might realise!," they said.
Created by a mostly Deaf cast and crew, the five-part series was written by Matthew Gurney and directed by Louis Neethling.
It was commissioned by the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT) and produced by Mutt & Jeff Pictures.
The first two episodes are available to see at www.bslzone.co.uk/watch.
Coffee Morning Club airs every Monday in July 2023 on Film 4 at 8am and Together TV at 7pm and 10pm.
It’s also streaming on Sky VoD/Sky Go and on the BSLZone app and website.
