What is Hard Evidence?
This project, in partnership with the Biomedical Research Centre, is working towards an original new show at acta in November 2021. Hard Evidence highlights how mindfulness for trauma can support women who are survivors of domestic violence.
The project was developed when a parent of one of our youth theatre members was inspired by the power of community theatre to raise awareness and tell it how it is, and in particular, acta’s work with women. She was looking for new ways to highlight the importance of PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) in research, and a seed was sown.
Starting in lockdown, a small group of women began meeting up virtually, to pilot the creative idea, and online workshops continued through Spring 21. The women working with Ingrid, devised a story based on their experiences. This story was then developed into a theatre piece. The group was then able to meet face to face for the first time in June and filmed the piece in the actacentre.
Starting in September the group are coming together again to rehearse and develop the show. We are very excited to be able to bring the performance to audiences in November this year, with two performances at the actacentre on 9th and 12th at 7pm.
Watch our trailer for Hard Evidence below!
Our work with women
For International Women’s Day 2021, Associate Director Ingrid Jones, reflected on this new project as well as the decades of experience acta has working with vulnerable women in the city of Bristol, and further afield.
“I am drawn to consider the important emphasis acta has always had in its work with women. In the many years I have worked for the company, I have been lucky enough to work with various groups of women creating new and exciting theatre. These pieces often have key messages for audiences, for example: working with Somali women creating a show about the stigma they face in due to attitudes towards their children with autism or another show about the way they are perceived and treated in regards to FGM. I feel very lucky to be embarking upon this new women’s project: Hard Evidence.”
Want to see more?
The plan for the project is to create a film of a theatrical performance of the piece this Summer, with the hope of bringing a stage performance before an audience in the Autumn.
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