Broken Voices - Community Project for domestic abuse survivors
Over the past two years we've worked with the incredible theatre-maker Katie McGarry and director-practitioner Annie Sutton on a creative project - Broken Record. Working with groups of survivors from Oasis Domestic Abuse service refuge, community and team, they used creative practices to explore trauma responses and hold a safe space for the group to share their stories and find their voices, which can be incredibly hard after abuse.
In 2021 they facilitated an online programme during lockdown, culminating in a sound piece mix of voice capture, individual creative responses and collective threads of stories from Lockdown. “Broken Records” was first broadcast at POW 2021 Digital Festival with music and audio production by Matt Smyth. The skipping or stuttering sounds acting as memory triggers. Listen here in a warm and safe space
A short monologue was written by Katie to replace the original live R&D. Filmed during lockdown in a day with Annie and Oxylicious Productions, the short monologue performed by Katie McGarry was shown at POW 2021 Digital Festival.
In 2022 POW secured funding from National Lottery Awards for All supporting the project to facilitate a further 9 weeks of live workshops. Oasis kindly partnered funding, to ensure a vital member of staff attended every session.
Quote from Workshop Participant
"Thank you so much Katie and Annie for creating a safe space to share our truth with those who understand and have also experienced domestic abuse. People struggle to understand unless they have had similar experiences, we learn to coexist with our pain and it can be so isolating. So to finally feel I can speak my truth, be understood and believed is another level of healing. You are both amazing women, Katie, so strong and kind, sharing your story so others can too, Annie, so perceptive and kind… I’ve loved being part of these Thursday morning sessions, thank you 🙏🙏🙏❤️”
Draft extracts of Broken Record the play were shared in a safe open conversation during the workshops. “It's so important for us to find different ways to enable and empower our survivors to heal. By partnering with Katie, Annie and Power of Women Thanet, we've embraced the power of creativity to do just that. Here's Katie and Annie to tell you more…” Oasis Domestic Abuse Services
This process has informed the next creative stage of writing by focusing on PTSD and complex trauma. Following one woman's experience and the ongoing healing journey she takes from that trauma to find her voice . Katie and Annie are both excited (and nervous!) to secure funding and finally get in the room for a physical exploration of Broken Record the play and further auditory research . Previous participants will continue to be part of the process .
We wish Katie and Annie all the success as they move forward into an exploratory R&D in 2023. This community project is an example of something we’re passionate about at POW - supporting women artists to support other women in our communities.
Oasis Domestic Abuse Services www.oasisdaservice.org/
Annie Sutton Annie Sutton (@annieesutton) • Instagram photos and videos
Katie McGarry Katie McGarry (@katiemcgarryactor) • Instagram photos and videos
