Nadia Nadarajah is a deaf British actress. She has labelled herself as English South Asian woman with dark skin. She uses the British Sign Language.
Early life
Born to Sri Lankan parents, Nadarajah grew up in Luton. Her older brother is also deaf. After attending a mainstream primary school with support, Nadarajah boarded at Mary Hare Grammar School in Berkshire. She began her studies at the University of Hertfordshire.
Career
At 21, she moved to Australia, where she joined the committee of the SAAD (South-Australian Association of the Deaf) and campaigned on several issues. She worked as a teacher of the Deaf.
She trained as an actress at the International Visual Theatre in Paris in physical and bilingual acting. After spending three years teaching Sign Language on Reunion Island, she returned to the UK. She has appeared in Deafinitely Theatre productions including Shakespearean plays such as Love's Labour's Lost and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and other plays like Grounded.
Other credits include Can I start again Please, Tanika's Journey and A Christmas Carol.
In 2018 she played Guildenstern in Shakespeare's Globe production of Hamlet.
Personal life
Nadarajah lives in Peterborough. She was previously married to a Frenchman, whom she divorced in 2009.
She is fluent in five sign languages (British, French, Australian, American and French Creole).
References
- ^ "Nadia Nadarajah". www.dadafest.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ Segalov, Michael (4 August 2024). "'We need to be seen': Nadia Nadarajah on portraying Shakespeare's greatest heroines – as a deaf actor". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- "Close up (BSL Zone)".
- "Parktheatre".
- Globe, Shakespeare’s (28 June 2018). "Michelle Terry & Nadia Nadarajah in conversation". Medium. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- "Nadia Nadarajah". Royal Court. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- "Edinburgh festival 2015 review: Can I Start Again Please – devastatingly good". Guardian.
- "Nadia Nadarajah on the Limping Chicken".
- Shakespeare's Globe Hamlet (2018)