Preview Performance of the Khmer Deaf Theatre 21 September 2004   Robert Farmer, a deaf drama professional from Australia, spent three months in Cambodia offering theater workshops for deaf people in several locations. As a finale, he helped organize a Khmer Deaf Theatre troupe to put on a performance for the annual Deaf Day in Cambodia. As a dress rehearsal and a chance for the neophyte performers to get over stage fright, a preview performance was held this evening at the Sovanna Phum Theatre in Phnom Penh. Here is the excited cast before the show. Robert was assisted by Katie McCabe of EpicArts and Kim Sokong, a young Cambodian-born deaf Australian.         Here the cast, all from the Phnom Penh area, take a final bow and pose for pictures after their performance which was quite well received by the audience, almost all of whom knew no sign language.       After the show, Robert Farmer spoke with Kerstin Olsson and Åsa Helmersson from Sweden who are in Cambodia as part of an evaluation of the educational project of the Maryknoll Deaf Development Program. Kerstin and Åsa are teachers from the Manilla School for deaf children in Stockholm, and they knew Robert from his visit to their school years ago.     Two of the deaf cast in the dressing room after the performance. Activities such as drama which allow deaf people to show their abilities and receive deserved recognition are really important in order to help young deaf people develop good self esteem and a sense of self worth and confidence. Return to Top of Page

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