NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — Less than 10 days away from their performance at Glasgow Square Theatre, 11 performers and dedicated crew are preparing to deliver some hard truths to their audience.
“It takes what’s private and makes it public,” said Shelly Curtis-Thompson of the Pictou County Women’s Resource and Sexual Assault Centre. “Although we don’t normally talk about what’s being talked about on this stage, the stories are not shocking.”
For the second time in three years, the Pictou County Women’s Resource and Sexual Assault Centre is staging Slut: The Play.
First debuted at the 2013 New York Fringe Festival, Slut: The Play addresses sexualized violence and people’s response after a sexual assault occurs to a young woman in their community.
“Some are supportive, others are not, and (the play) takes you through some of the real-life things that happen,” said the play’s director Dawn Peters.
This is the second time Peters has helmed the social justice play. She and the cast said the process has been challenging.
“It’s always wonderful to bring together mostly strangers and have them support each other through really painful dialogue,” said Peters. “It brings things up and it’s very moving.”
Speaking with the cast, all of whom are students at North Nova Education Centre and Northumberland Regional High School, they described the experience as being both overwhelming and rewarding.
“It’s really heavy, but it can shed some light on a really important topic,” said NRHS Grade 9 student, Norah Ryan.
“Think of it as more than a play,” added Faith Taylor, NNEC Grade 10. “It’s really acting out something that’s happening.”
At the end of the play there will be community conversation where audience members will be free to ask the cast questions.
“Every person sitting in the audience is going to have their own emotional interpretation of the play, and that will be impossible to ignore,” said Curtis-Thompson. “I suspect that the audience will leave here changed. They’ll leave with a new point of view and understanding of the reality of sexual violence.”
The Pictou County Women’s Resource and Sexual Assault Centre 2019 production of Slut: The Play will be staged for the public at Glasgow Square Theatre on Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
