Actors at what is billed as the world's first professional deaf-blind theatre company, are captivating audiences.

Most of the performers at the Nalaga'at centre in Israel have Usher syndrome, which means they were born deaf and lost their sight later in life.

The current play, called "Not by Bread Alone" blends touch, mime, sign-language and music in a cabaret-style show about dreams and disability.

Adina Tal started the group in 2002 when she was asked to lead a deaf-blind acting workshop, and it has since turned professional and toured the United States and Europe.

At the Nalaga'at centre, which means "Please Do Touch" in Hebrew, seeing and hearing customers are pushed beyond their comfort zone.

Blind staff lead customers to their seats in a pitch-black restaurant, while visitors to the centre's cafe have to order drinks from deaf waiters in sign-language.

Ms Tal explained: "The idea is that hearing and seeing people come to the centre not in order to give something to people that have disabilities - but in order to get something.

"And people with disabilities usually are in a position where they have to ask - please help me, please give me - and here it's like exactly the opposite."

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