Fifi Garfield will be starring in Deafinitely Theatre’s production of V’s The Vagina Monologues, which is touring major UK venues following a sold-out charity gala at Hackney Empire.
Fifi discusses her role in the hit ITV drama Code of Silence and her experience as a deaf actress breaking into mainstream TV.
She also talks about her upcoming role in The Vagina Monologues with Deafinitely Theatre – the UK’s leading deaf-led theatre company, and the importance of authentic representation in both TV and theatre.
The Vagina Monologues is a powerful and iconic production. What drew you to this particular play, and what do you hope audiences will take away from Deafinitely Theatre’s interpretation?
It’s a privilege to be able to work in an all-female space where you feel supported and free to explore. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in this twice in my career – once with Everyday – a play about domestic abuse (this group was all female and non-binary persons). And now here I am again with V’s The Vagina Monologues. Deafinitely Theatre did a production of this play a number of years ago and I was unable to be in it or see it due to a clash of schedules. I was gutted that I couldn’t experience the production. Then, I was delighted they decided to re-stage it in September 2023 at the Hackney Empire for one night only, with 20 women – all volunteer performers. It was an amazing night! So popular. And now, we’re here again for a tour around the UK with 10 deaf women. I can’t wait to put this show on stage again and bring it to new audiences in Birmingham, Sheffield and Exeter.
I hope that our audiences are not only women, but men too. I hope the women in the audience will take away more confidence in being more open about issues affecting them linked to the vagina. They’ll see from this production they’re not the only one that has an issue. They’ll realise they’re not alone. Also, for the men in the audience, I hope they’ll take away more understanding of where we’re coming from and why we react the way we do. Hopefully, they’ll gain a deeper awareness of issues affecting the women in their lives.
Deafinitely Theatre is the UK’s leading deaf-led theatre company. Can you describe the unique collaborative process within a deaf-led production, especially with a play like “The Vagina Monologues” that is so focused on voice and experience?
I think Deafinitely Theatre’s productions offer a unique perspective as their Artistic Director – Paula Garfield (also my twin sister)– is deaf and completely understands what works well (and what doesn’t work well) on stage for audiences of deaf and hearing people. All Deafinitely’s previous productions are aimed for everyone – deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) and those who don’t, hearing people who use BSL and those who don’t. They are bilingual productions with BSL, some spoken English and written English (via captions).
The experience of creating this production is so collaborative. The actors are given space to explore and experiment with the dialogue, content and delivery. This is so unique. I don’t think other mainstream companies offer the same experience. Usually, they are led by a hearing director who tries to integrate one deaf performer into the play and it doesn’t work well. In my opinion, Deafinitely Theatre offers the leading experience for deaf performers and audience members.
How does the use of British Sign Language (BSL) enrich or perhaps reframe the narratives within “The Vagina Monologues”? Are there specific monologues that resonate differently when performed in BSL?
By its very nature, BSL is a visual language which enriches the experience of The Vagina Monologues. The play is very visual, it creates beautiful visual pictures that we can represent when performing it on stage. It’s a very fun play, graphic as well as vitally important to start conversations in BSL about the topics covered. I know I enjoyed the collaborative process of translating the monologues back in 2023 when we performed this with a group of 20 performers. I can’t wait to see what this cast will come up with! And how we can portray the monologues on stage as a group together. There was one visual image we created in the 2023 production, all the performers collectively and visually represented a vagina with a beautiful lighting effect…. We needed no words or signs with that moment. It was purely visual. Let’s see if we do that again – watch this space!
I think all the monologues have an extra layer of meaning when they are told through BSL. Imagine listening to someone explaining an issue, but then in our production, you can see it, we refer to specific parts of the body, the visual element becomes explicit, which I think is refreshing to see. I love how we’re signing the title of the play – The Vagina Monologues. We’re doing the BSL sign for ‘vagina’ (which I don’t usually sign very often but in this play I do!) and then we’re doing the sign for “poetry/story” but it’s coming from the position of the ‘vagina’. (That’s very hard for me to describe in English – much easier in a BSL video!). I think signs like this add a richness and physicality to the meaning (that you don’t get in English). Hope you all come along and see it for yourselves to have that visual experience.
Following a sold-out charity gala at Hackney Empire, the production is now touring major UK venues. What does this wider reach mean for Deafinitely Theatre and for the deaf community?
I was thrilled with the response to the show back in September 2023. The Hackney Empire was full, and the atmosphere was amazing. So many people came up to me afterwards asking when it would be on again. So here we are taking the play to 3 major cities in the UK. For us, as deaf people, it’s so vital to put plays in BSL on stages around the country to connect with deaf people all over the UK. The deaf community is geographically diverse; there are deaf people all over the UK, and so by us touring to Exeter, Sheffield and Birmingham, we’re able to connect with a wide range of deaf people. We’ll start those all-important conversations. A lot of deaf women will realise they are not alone. And we have an audience – an audience who is committed to watching plays in BSL performed by deaf performers. They see themselves represented on stage – and that is so important.
There’s not enough productions that put BSL centre-stage performed by deaf actors. There is an audience of deaf and hearing people out there who crave more plays and more content. And I don’t mean plays that are interpreted into BSL with a BSL interpreter standing on one side of the stage away from the action. I mean plays presented in BSL with deaf and hearing actors using BSL as the main language on the stage. Having the deaf voice represented is so important. There’s an audience for this. An audience that doesn’t get the chance to come to the theatre that often as they don’t see themselves represented. I’m excited to bring this play to this audience in Exeter, Sheffield and Birmingham.
What challenges and triumphs have you experienced in bringing “The Vagina Monologues” to life with Deafinitely Theatre?
To be part of a cast of 10 deaf women all performing this play collectively, is a real triumph for me personally. We all support each other in our own monologues and then in the ensemble pieces. I feel proud to be a part of this production. The biggest challenge for me is ensuring that I remember everything in order. There’s a large projection screen on stage with us that is showing live English captions – so if I forget, the audience will know what I’ve missed! Yes, this is a challenge, but one I am enjoying. Also, the live captions give an extra layer of communication as people are able to look between the written English and the BSL and see how we’ve translated the content and how we’re presenting the information. I think that’s great, and it will start many conversations.
I think this production of The Vagina Monologues will make the performers and the audience feel liberated and free. It’s amazing to be in a space to share stories, emotions, feelings and experiences about being women. When do we ever talk about our vaginas as a large collective group? And in BSL? It’s rare but so important for women of any ages to have these conversations.
Questions about “Code of Silence” and Mainstream TV:
“Code of Silence” is a hit ITV drama. Can you tell us about your role in the show and how you approached developing your character?
I was delighted to be involved in Code of Silence on ITV recently. My role was as Julie Brooks, the single mum to Alison – played by Rose Ayling-Ellis. I’ve known Rose for many years and feel very comfortable working with her. It was a great experience. I’ve seen her grow up and so it wasn’t hard to imagine her as my daughter. In my own personal life, I’m a proud step-mum to three amazing children (young adults now!) so I was able to draw on those experiences of caring for children when imagining Julie and her relationship with her daughter.
As a deaf actress, what was your experience like breaking into mainstream TV with a production of this scale? Were there specific hurdles or unexpected positive experiences?
I have to say, working on Code of Silence was a delight! I remember when I went to the audition, there was a BSL interpreter already there. I felt very comfortable and everyone was very friendly. Then, when I got the role, I had to go to their production office for a wardrobe fitting and make-up test. I remember numerous staff coming up to me and signing to me in BSL! They could say, “Hello, how are you?” And they could fingerspell their names. Amazing! I’d never had this experience before. Usually, it’s on me to adapt my communication and educate people about deafness. Not this time. I found out later, the team had Deaf Awareness Training. This was fantastic.
I have to say all the crew on Code of Silence were amazing including the director, Diarmuid, who we gave a cool sign name to as he kept on whispering all his brilliant notes to me. He was fantastic and so flexible. He made me feel so comfortable and able to concentrate on the job. Also, Grantly, the 1st AD, he was so friendly. We had a lot of banter back and forth! Then all the Wardrobe and Hair/Make-up teams. They were all so friendly, positive and inclusive. I’d never experienced anything like that before. There was an Access Producer – Pauline Stone. She was amazing. She was the one with the mammoth task of coordinating all the BSL interpreters. She was always checking in with me to ensure that communication was running smoothly. I was able to focus on developing my character and enjoy the experience. All the usual extra burden on me as a deaf actor was gone. I hope there’ll be more experiences like this in the future.
How do you feel “Code of Silence” contributed to or shifted perceptions of deaf characters and deaf actors in mainstream media?
I think 2025 has been a great year for portrayals of deaf characters in mainstream TV dramas. I was proud to be in Code of Silence (ITV), but I must also mention Reunion (BBC) earlier this year. This was written by a deaf writer and featured a huge cast of deaf actors, which was great to see. Then Code of Silence also featured numerous deaf actors and it’s fantastic that both series have been on mainstream TV so far in 2025. They both show what deaf actors can do. They both put deaf culture in people’s living rooms. I remember someone coming up to me after Code of Silence saying how much of an impact the scenes in my character’s home had on them. They shared that the silence plus environmental noises – like the banging of cupboards, hearing breathing, hands hitting each other in BSL – they weren’t aware that deaf people’s homes would be like this. So, I’m pleased that we were able to portray the real-life experiences of deaf people on TV for mainstream audiences to watch.
I hope this will encourage more writers and directors to be open-minded and cast more authentic deaf actors in mainstream productions. I want to see authentic representations of deaf people and BSL users more on screen. Especially Deaf BSL users who don’t use their speaking voices. Please cast us. We have so many stories and performances to share with the mainstream community.
What, in your opinion, are the most significant improvements still needed to ensure authentic representation of deaf individuals in television and film?
I want to see more deaf actors being cast on TV and in films. Authentic deaf people. Those who have grown up deaf and using BSL. I do not want to see anyone learning BSL for a role in TV/Film and passing that off as an authentic BSL user. We can tell. We know when it’s not a real BSL interpreter – but someone who’s just learnt BSL the role. We know if the child actor playing a CODA – child of deaf adults – is not actually a CODA. We know if someone uses BSL in their everyday life or if they have learnt it just for a role. That’s not authentic.
Also, don’t have deaf actors in roles that are only about our deafness. We are well-rounded individuals, let us tell stories about work, relationships, families. Anything really.
Code of Silence focussed on Alison’s ability to lip-read. Not all deaf people can lip-read that well. I can lip-read a bit, but sometimes I struggle as words look similar on the lips, and you get very tired trying to process and piece together bits of information. Sometimes, if a hearing person assumes I can lip-read, they start talking very fast. That’s impossible. For me, I can only lip-read for a short time. I’m often asked by hearing people, “Can you lip-read?”. My reply is usually, “Can you sign?”. Why is the onus always on me, the deaf person, to adapt my communication to fit theirs? I’d love more hearing people to be able to sign, life would be so much more comfortable.
Beyond “Code of Silence,” you’ve also worked on “See Hear” and “The Coffee Morning Club.” How have these different television experiences shaped your perspective on representation?
Working on See Hear and Coffee Morning Club were great experiences. Most of the crew on these productions are deaf and so communication is direct and very smooth. Working on Code of Silence was great, but the majority of crew were hearing. So, we had a lot of BSL interpreters to ensure smooth communication. As long as crews and production teams have deaf awareness training, basic BSL skills, an open-minded attitude as well as good media experienced BSL interpreters then we can feel fully supported and able to do the job. There’s nothing worse for me as an actor if I don’t know what’s going on, if I don’t have access to what’s happening around me. I want smooth communication to ensure I can focus on my character and performance.
For me, the increase of deaf representation on screen is brilliant, but I want to see more deaf representation in all roles in production.
Questions about Authentic Representation and Career:
You’ve spoken about the importance of authentic representation. What does “authentic representation” truly mean to you in the context of both TV and theatre?
It means that deaf performers on stage and on screen have lived experience of deafness. They know what we’ve been through as they’ve been through it too. The same educational experiences, the same issues growing up, and faced the same oppressions from mainstream society. Authentic representation for me means they are BSL users. They have not only learnt BSL for a production.
I’ve supported a lot of hearing actors to learn BSL for roles in the past. (This is for roles where they are playing a hearing character who interacts with a deaf character. I will not ever support hearing actors learning BSL to pretend to be deaf. I’ve turned down opportunities in the past where I’ve been asked to do this. I only support hearing actors learning BSL when they are playing hearing characters who will interact with a genuine deaf person). The hearing actors will usually learn the BSL for their lines only. Sometimes they think this means they’ve “learnt BSL”. But they haven’t learnt enough BSL to have conversations with deaf people. I’d love to ask some of them a few years later if they still remember the BSL they learnt, of has it been forgotten as they have not used it regularly? If you are learning BSL and meet deaf people regularly then it becomes second nature to you and we can see that in your delivery of the language.
So, authentic representation for me is employing deaf actors in roles who have that lived experience of deafness and are native BSL users. We can tell if people are not. We deserve accurate representation on stage and screen.
What advice would you give to aspiring deaf actors who are looking to break into the industry today?
I’m an actor in my 50s and finally this year (2025), I got my first ever role in a mainstream prime-time ITV drama. So, to any aspiring deaf actors out there, never give up. Keep going. Have patience. Don’t expect roles to come to you straightaway.
I started when I was 19 with the London Deaf Drama Group. This was an amateur group, all voluntary. We gave our time to perform on stages. It was a great training ground. I’m so grateful to LumoTV (previously British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust) for all the opportunities I’ve had with them. I feel like my mainstream TV/Theatre career is just beginning.
Be confident in yourself in performing in front of large groups of people – whether that’s on stage or on a film set (as often there’s a large crew watching you). If you’re offered roles in low budget productions (and you can cope financially) then grab the opportunity. You never know where it will lead, who will see it and then what other opportunities may come your way. Keep going. You can do this.
Beyond acting, you’re a multifaceted creative working across media, editing, directing, and BSL consulting and translating. How do these different roles intersect and influence your acting career?
I consider myself a Jill of all trades! To have a sustainable career in the media, I’ve had to do many roles and all of them have shaped me into the performer I am today. Working as a BSL consultant behind the camera has been a great influence on me. I’ve been able to study how the smallest sign or facial expression come across on screen. The camera picks up on tiny details. This has certainly developed my own skills when performing on screen. Performing on stage is so different – your BSL needs to be bigger, more theatrical, with larger facial expressions.
I’m also a BSL translator and work a lot on camera translating and presenting content. In some assignments, this means I need to role shift to show 2 or 3 people’s perspectives and feelings.
I feel all the roles I’ve done in the past have connected and intersected. I’ve met so many people who then have remembered me for other projects. I’m very grateful to have had all these experiences and hope there’s more to come!
Hosting “Sign2Win,” LumoTV’s very first Deaf gameshow, sounds fascinating. Can you tell us a bit about that experience and its significance?
I love Sign2Win! I’m so lucky to be the presenter. I think it’s a great game show. It’s been fab to meet people from all over the UK. The games are all linked to BSL so it’s not about general knowledge or subject knowledge. So many of the contestants we’ve had have been nervous. Many of them didn’t realise it’s a 7 camera set-up in the studio with a very large crew of people watching! They thought it was a small show on LumoTV but oh no, you get the full-on TV experience when you come on Sign2Win!
It’s great that the audience watching at home can participate in the games as the contestants are playing them – whether that’s the handshape one or fastest fingerspelling! I’ve had lots of feedback from audience members that they’ve enjoyed the programme. I’m very proud to be a part of this deaf game show.
Looking ahead, what kind of roles or projects are you most excited to pursue in the future, and what impact do you hope to continue making on the industry?
Who knows what the future may bring?! I’m open to new and exciting roles that show what deaf people can do on stage and screen. I do hope Broadway and Hollywood have my phone number?! Seriously, I’m about to start rehearsals for The Vagina Monologues, and I do have a few stand-up comedy dates coming up (this is a new area I’ve been trying out!) as well as some of my translation jobs. I like to keep busy! I really hope that the momentum that has been created from Reunion and Code of Silence continues through this year and beyond…. Can someone please write a role in a film or on stage for a middle-aged deaf woman who uses BSL? I’m your woman!
General and Reflective Questions:
From your training at London Deaf Drama Group to your current successes, how has your journey as an actress evolved?
To be honest, my time at the London Deaf Drama Group was a great training ground for me, but this was a local amateur group; it was a hobby. All voluntary. We all had other jobs and gave up our time to rehearse in the evenings or at weekends. It wasn’t a “training” course. I learnt through the experience. I developed stagecraft skills from performing on stage with this group. And certainly, from performing with this group, it developed my confidence on stage. I still get nervous before a performance, but it’s less now than when I started out! I look back now and I can say I don’t think I’d be here without the LDDG. I’m so grateful to everyone involved in that group for giving me my start in this industry.
What do you find most rewarding about your work as a performer?
I have to say the most rewarding part is seeing the reactions of the audience members when I am on stage. It’s being able to interact with people as I tell them stories or present characters with varying moods and emotions. That, for me, is the most rewarding.
Similarly, when people share with me that they’ve connected to a performance I’ve done, that is very rewarding – whether that’s been on stage or on screen.
Are there any particular moments or performances in your career that stand out as particularly significant or meaningful to you?
I think there are probably two performances in my career that stand out as the most meaningful. The most rewarding role I ever had was as the Manager in Mike Bartlett’s Contractions. There are only 2 characters in the play – the Manager and the staff member – and I was on stage throughout (no breaks for a cup of tea or anything!). It was in a site-specific space, an old trading floor of an investment bank in central London. It looked like a real office. The play is based in an office environment. Where we were performing, I could see the entire audience throughout. They were terrified of me! The Manager is a very dark, harsh character. I remember the director, Paula Garfield, telling me to show fewer facial expressions and do less movement. Be very cold and still. Even now, 8 years later, people still come up to me and talk about Contractions. The production won an OFFIE – Off West End – award for Best Production in 2017. I was so pleased to be a part of this production.
Another highlight was performing as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, again by Deafinitely Theatre directed by Paula Garfield, at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. This was in 2014. I never thought I’d be on Shakespeare’s Globe stage. And playing a leading role! It was amazing to see BSL being used throughout the Globe and its circular set-up. It was challenging as we needed to think about where we would stand and angle ourselves so that our BSL dialogue was clear, wherever the audience were standing or sitting. It was a huge challenge, but I loved every moment of it.
How do you prepare for such emotionally resonant roles as those in “The Vagina Monologues” or intense dramas like “Code of Silence”?
For Code of Silence, I remember standing outside Alison’s bedroom, waiting for a scene to begin and I was repeating to myself to remember that I am Julie, I am cheerful, a smiley person, I am bubbly, I am a mother, Alison is my daughter …. And think about what had happened to Julie before this moment. That helped me to get in her head.
And now, we’re about to start rehearsing The Vagina Monologues with the new cast of 10 actors. I’m very excited to re-visit this material again and think about how to portray it for the audience. I have two monologues I’ll be performing – The Flood (which I did two years ago) and now I have an extra monologue – “My Hairy Vagina”. The Flood shows different emotions, it’s funny at points and very moving at points too. So, it’s important to hit these emotional moments.
I’m excited about performing both monologues on the stage soon. My way of getting into the characters is just to imagine myself in the scenario – what would I do in this situation? How would I feel in this situation? Imagine I’m in the situation and then think about how I’d feel and be in that environment.
Finally, what message would you like to share with audiences who are coming to see “The Vagina Monologues” or those who are engaging with deaf talent in the arts for the first time?
Hello to audiences of The Vagina Monologues! We’re excited to see you all soon. This play is not just for women. This play is for everyone – men should come along too to watch this performance and learn what women go through. And women will realise they are not alone. Many women have similar experiences and go through the same issues. We’re lifting the lid on a topic that is often not talked about.
To anyone engaging with deaf talent in the arts for the first time, be open-minded, be respectful, be curious, ask questions and learn a bit of BSL.
To deaf talent out there – grab every opportunity, go to workshops, sign up to Deafinitely Theatre’s training sessions, develop your skills, be confident and keep going…. Tell people you want to be an actor… spread the word or should I say spread the sign… and good luck!
Bio
Fifi Garfield graduated from London Deaf Drama Group and has since been working as a multifaceted creative, working across media, editing, directing, and BSL consulting and translating (English to BSL). As an actress, her theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe). Her television credits include See Hear and The Coffee Morning Club. Her film credits include Johan’s Choice, Code of Silence, and Where the Light Gets In. Fifi is also the host of Sign2Win, LumoTV’s very first Deaf gameshow.
Exeter Northcott Theatre – 15 July
Tickets available here: https://exeternorthcott.co.uk/
Crucible Theatre – 17 July
Tickets available here: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/
The Rep – 19 July
Tickets available here: https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/
https://www.deafinitelytheatre.co.uk/
