On its surface, Tribes is concerned with a young deaf man’s sudden decision to embrace sign language rather than rely on lip-reading. But that description doesn’t do justice to Nina Raine’s compassionate drama, which premiered at London’s Royal Court and is now receiving an outstanding off-Broadway production directed by David Cromer.

The play revolves around a British family that includes: highly opinionated academic and patriarch, Christopher (Jeff Perry); his peacemaking wife Beth (Mare Winningham); emotionally fragile son Daniel (Will Brill); daughter Ruth (Gayle Rankin), a self-deluded, aspiring singer; and deaf son Billy (Russell Harvard, who is hearing-impaired in real life).

The clan exults in their loud, vociferous arguments around the dinner table, in which Billy can only partially be involved. But that’s fine with him, until he meets Sylvia (Susan Pourfar), with whom he’s immediately smitten. Unlike him, she’s well versed in signing, since she’s the daughter of deaf parents and is now going deaf herself.

Their relationship quickly has consequences, especially when Billy brings her home to meet his family and a nasty argument—precipitated by his father’s incessant badgering of their guest--ensues over whether deaf people should isolate themselves in their own language.

Things come to a ferocious boil late in the play when Billy announces that his family members will have to learn signing, since that he is the only way he will communicate from now on.  

Although imperfectly structured and paced, the play gets under your skin in a way that more polished dramas often do not. It possesses moments that are both raucously funny—some of the interactions between the troubled clan are priceless—and others that are deeply affecting.

Cromer is the Chicago-based director whose revelatory production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town became a long-running hit at the Barrow Street Theatre, where this show is also playing. Once again he demonstrates an uncanny knack for how to use the space. His in-the-round staging featuring Scott Pask’s cleverly versatile set design provides such a depth of intimacy that we come to feel a part of the onstage family.        

Although all of the performers are terrific, it’s Harvard’s emotionally wrenching portrayal that drives the evening. When Billy angrily turns on his family, it’s a truly heartbreaking moment. But even more moving is the silent gesture of reconciliation that follows—rarely has there been such a deeply felt depiction of familial love.

Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St. 212-868-4444. www.smarttix.com.