Previously untold stories of women as a tool of war are the subject of ‘The Shedding of Skin’, the new play from Kabosh which will have four online screenings from Tuesday 15 - Friday 18 June.
Written by Vittoria Cafolla and directed by Paula McFetridge, ‘The Shedding of Skin’ was created in response to the work of Ulster University Drama lecturer Dr Lisa Fitzpatrick, who has been researching sexual violence in conflict for many years.
Dr Fitzpatrick wanted to explore how her research material could be developed into a creative project and shared with a broad range of audiences, humanising victims and redressing the imbalance of stories from conflict being told with a predominantly male perspective.
Lisa explains her reasons for working with Kabosh:
“I approached Kabosh to develop my research into a play because of their work in post-conflict theatre and because I knew that the company was highly experienced at addressing sensitive social issues.
We understand a lot about the world through stories and the stage to me is all about telling stories. It shapes how we understand victims and perpetrators, and what kind of narratives we believe.
Post-conflict societies have higher rates of sexual violence - violence moves from public to private - and I think that the only way we will bring about change is to discuss these issues openly and honestly, which is what ‘The Shedding of Skin’ is here to do.”
Director Paula McFetridge from Kabosh further illustrates the context of the production:
“Sexual violence against women in conflict is not only a Northern Ireland issue - it is a global and historical aspect of conflict, wherever and whenever it happens.
There is no doubt that ‘The Shedding of Skin’ is a challenging piece of theatre, but to deal with the legacy of conflict we need to bear witness to stories of violence and oppression, as well as celebrating the human spirit to survive.
As audience members, we can choose to either avoid such issues, ignoring those most affected, or choose to be informed so we can be part of positive societal change.”
Kabosh will provide a list of resources and further information which will enable audience members to take action about the issues raised in ‘The Shedding of Skin’, whether by raising awareness or by supporting one of the charities which works in this field.
The cast of ‘The Shedding of Skin’ features Vicky Allen as Tereza, Louise Mathews as Ruth, Catriona McFeely as Sinéad and Shannen McNeice as Sam.
The play will be filmed at the Brian Friel Studio, Queen’s University, Belfast and screened online over four days from Tuesday 15 - Friday 18 June, supported by a range of themed panel discussions exploring issues raised by the production.
*‘The Shedding of Skin’ includes sensitive content and is recommended for people aged 16 years and over.*
Tickets for ‘The Shedding of Skin’ are £5 per person and can be booked now via www.kabosh.net
