Raymond Antrobus - The Quiet Ear

If you are looking for something a bit different to do in Brighton this May, there is an interesting event coming up at the Brighton Dome Studio Theatre. On Saturday, 16 May 2026, the poet Raymond Antrobus will be presenting 'The Quiet Ear'. It is essentially a lecture and reading where he talks about his personal experience as a deaf person, drawing from his memoir of the same name. He touches on his own history—being diagnosed as deaf in childhood, the challenges he faced with teachers who misunderstood his needs, and how he eventually found a way forward through poetry. It sounds like a thoughtful look at the intersection of identity, language, and the experience of navigating both the deaf and hearing worlds.

What makes this particular session stand out is the collaborative nature of the presentation. Antrobus will be joined by Rose Ayling-Ellis, who is moderating the conversation. They are also bringing in Dame Evelyn Glennie, the percussionist, to perform an improvised soundscape, which should add a unique layer to the evening. Additionally, the programme includes a piece called 'Follow the Signs', an autobiographical work written and performed by the multidisciplinary artist Chris Fonseca and theatre director Harry Jardine. It is a packed lineup that seems to approach the subject from several different creative angles.

The event is scheduled for 18:00 at the Studio Theatre on New Road. It is worth noting that the organisers have made sure the event is accessible, with British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation and live speech-to-text transcription provided throughout. Tickets are priced at £12.50, with a reduced rate of £10 for anyone under 30. It is open to anyone aged 16 and over, so if you have an interest in contemporary poetry or the themes Antrobus explores, it might be worth checking out.