Join one of the UK’s leading Visual Vernacular (VV) performers, Zoë McWhinney, for an immersive full-day workshop exploring the power of visual storytelling.
Visual Vernacular blends sign language, mime and gesture to create cinematic narratives that captivate Deaf and hearing audiences alike. Through precise use of facial expression, body movement and spatial awareness, VV performers sculpt entire worlds in the air — shifting seamlessly between characters, objects and environments. Stories can zoom in and out, slow down or speed up, and unfold like films projected directly into the audience’s imagination.
In this workshop, participants will:
Explore the foundations of Visual Vernacular storytelling.
Learn how to create clear visual narratives using gesture, facial expression and body positioning.
Experiment with role shifting, scale, perspective and rhythm.
Develop confidence in creating vivid “long shots” and “close-ups”
Gain insight into how VV can be used in performance, poetry and theatre.
The day will be practical, playful and creative, suitable for performers, poets, BSL users, interpreters and anyone interested in visual storytelling.
About Zoë McWhinney
Zoë McWhinney (She/They) is a BSL poet and Visual Vernacular performer based in South East London. Born to a Deaf Northern Irish father and a Belgian-Finnish CODA mother, Zoë grew up deeply immersed in Deaf culture alongside her three Deaf/HoH brothers.
Zoë has performed at major venues including The Roundhouse, The Globe Theatre, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and The Barbican, and made history as the first Deaf and BSL poet published in British Sign Language by Modern Poetry and Translation magazine. Their work has been shortlisted for the Forward Prizes for Poetry 2025 – Best Single Poem (Performed). Zoë’s BSL poetry performance of Dot Miles’ classic poem The Staircase showcases their exceptional ability to create rich, cinematic storytelling using elements of VV in her BSL.
Photography:
Stephen Iliffe
Deaf Mosaic
