Glasgow's Deaf Youth Theatre was created to give a voice to young deaf people.

Now it is helping to set up the UK's first BA Acting Degree Course for those with hearing difficulties at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).

The group, set up in 2002 by artistic director Gerry Ramage, is the UK's only year-round, permanent youth theatre for deaf people.

Gerry had seen the importance of helping young deaf and hard of hearing people become involved in theatre.

He said: "I formed the company because I came across a lot of young people who clearly had a lot of talent but didn't have the chance to take part in theatre. I wanted to work with young people who were hard to reach.

"Then, six years ago, we did a show that just so happened to have a central character who was deaf, but I found young deaf people were not engaging with theatre.

"It would be easy to create theatre around deaf issues, but that would become boring for the actors.

"So when we create theatre we try to look at issues that are relevant for all young people, if not deaf young people."

The group is based in The Arches, in Argyle Street, and is putting the finishing touches to its version of Oscar Wilde's short story The Birthday Of The Infanta.

No speech is used and very little sign language. Instead, the performance is more like mime, with live music, scents, puppetry and lighting helping the 20 people aged 12-21 bring the story to life.

For the actors involved, the group gives them a chance to meet other deaf young people and express themselves creatively.

For some, who grow up in hearing families and are educated in mainstream schools, it is the first time they have met other deaf teenagers.

Claire Clark, 19, is one of the founding members of the group, having joined six years ago.

The student, from East Kilbride, said: "Acting is my passion and I don't have any limits when I am on stage.

"In my six years with Deaf Youth Theatre I have never heard anyone describe being deaf as being a barrier. Yes, it is a burden but everyone has a burden to bear – we just have to carry on and keep going.

"As a deaf person I don't want to think about it, I don't want to think about my deafness – I want to make a story. If I think about my deafness that just brings me down. All you are doing is feeling sorry for yourself.

"If you come out and tell a really good story then that is a more powerful way of showing we are the same as everyone else."

In addition to teaching young people acting skills, Deaf Youth Theatre, part of theatre company Solar Bear, employs three deaf theatre apprentices.

The scheme started in April this year and will run for 16 months.

Gerry said: "The theatre apprentices are trying to engage the more mainstream theatre sector and showing them what being open to deaf actors can bring to their work.

"They spend time with staff to make the building deaf friendly and as accessible as possible."

Connor Bryson, from Falkirk, has been a Deaf Youth Theatre actor for three years and is one of the three apprentices.

The 19-year-old says acting has helped give him a purpose in life – and he wants the theatre group to be able to speak to people from all walks of life.

He said: "Doing this allowed me to find myself. Before Deaf Youth Theatre I didn't know what I was going to be and this gave me a purpose – I was like a born-again person.

"If all our performances were about deaf issues then people would get bored, they would not engage with us and they wouldn't come to see our shows."

Solar Bear runs a Deaf Theatre Skills course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the idea of the BA Acting Degree Course grew from that.

The full degree course will launch in 2015 and produce the UK's first deaf acting graduates.

Claire added: "We just like acting. We are actors who happen to also be deaf.

"Other people will see us as deaf actors or deaf people, but it is up to us to show them we are just people, just like them."

l The Birthday Of The Infanta, Eastwood Park Theatre on August 2 and 3, 7.30pm.To book tickets call 0141 577 4956 or see: www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk