A quick extra post to tell you about an excellent television programme, screened recently by the BBC.  Life and Deaf follows some of the members of St John’s Deaf Club in North London as they live their lives – playing football, having a baby……

The film is in British Sign Language, with subtitles.  There is no score and no commentary, so it’s interestingly quiet.  There are some very funny moments.  My favourite?  Abigail is 30 and comes from a big Deaf family.  The film follows her deciding to have a cochlear implant – a controversial decision for her mother, who is worried that her daughter will drift away from the Deaf community.  When the implant is fitted Abigail is filmed talking to a friend about it.  “Can you hear birds?” says the friend.  “Not yet” replied Abigail “but I could hear the clock ticking in my aunt’s kitchen…..after five minutes it was really f***ing annoying….”

You can find Life and Deaf on BBC iPlayer but you’ll need to be very quick.  It is only available until 20 July.