Reviewed by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move

Falling on Deaf Eyes is an autobiographical comedy of a teenage punk rocker growing up in a small town with a single mother who is deaf.

The playwright, Justin Maurer, who also happens to be the actor, who also happens to be the real-life rocker (now an adult) in this production will tell you it’s a story about his mom and her personal challenges. And it very much is. But the trajectory really is about both of their relationships to each other and the world and the people in their lives. The story is really almost more so his.

Maurer, the oldest child, is the one consistently left to deal with the fallout of his parents divorcing, being poor, raising a younger sister and brother, a controlling but distant dad, and growing up a teenage rebel and a CODA – a Child Of a Deaf Adult trying to live life on his own terms. It’s amazing just how adult he is even in his most disorderly teen moments. There is incredible levity displayed here which really does set their relationship apart from most mother-son dynamics.

It’s a sweet story with ASL (American Sign Language) woven into this production.

As hopeful and is it funny. And shoot, if you are looking for any kind of classic, blissful, happy ending after a much tribulation but the characters/people, this would be your ‘over the rainbow’.

It’s not the best put together show you will experience at Fringe. But it most definitely will be one of the more fulfilling.

Some shows are ASL interpreted which is an experience every hearing able person should experience at least one. You’ll learn a lot!

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