Pe Limba Ta – O Întâlnire
In Your Language – An Encounter

Author(s): Viorel Cojanu
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Language and Literature Studies, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Sociology of Art
Published by: Asociatia Culturala REPLIKA
Keywords: Integrated theatre; Romanian Sign Language (LSR); Scenic translation; Actor training; Accessibility; Deaf and hard-of-hearing performers; Co-creation; Third space; Intercultural communication; Bilingual performance
Summary/Abstract: This chapter offers a reflective account of the artistic process behind the bilingual performance Pe limba ta, created at the Replika Educational Theatre Center. Drawing on the author’s experience as a professional actor working alongside Deaf and hard-of-hearing performers, the text explores how rehearsals became a dynamic space of translation, negotiation, and mutual discovery. The chapter describes the challenges of transforming the traditional table read into a complex act of scenic translation into Romanian Sign Language (LSR), requiring the collaborative invention of visual metaphors and new signs. It also situates the process within broader theories of integrated theatre, accessibility, and actor training, referencing concepts such as the theatrical laboratory, cultural encounter, and the “third space.” Through these reflections, the chapter argues that accessibility can become not only an ethical obligation but also an aesthetic principle that reshapes the actor’s craft. Ultimately, Pe limba ta emerges as an encounter between worlds—spoken and signed, auditory and visual—revealing new possibilities for communication, representation, and inclusive performance practice.

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