BR: What was the most surprising thing you learned in your research for the play?
C: How complex same sex domestic violence service providers are in relation to them being able to assess and provide support.
BR: Do you expect people to be shocked that domestic violence is so prevalent in the LGBT community?
C: I did a pre-show workshop recently, looking at this issue, and it was a big wake up call to the fact that the majority of people have limited to no knowledge of same sex relationships, homophobia and domestic violence. Hopefully this play will go some way in addressing that.
BR: We have to agree. It is a problem we have - showing people the facts around LGBT domestic violence, even that it simply exists can be a fundamental shift.
Does your play reflect how women and their friends react to DV?
C: The play follows the story of four women visiting the island of Lesvos, two of which are in a same sex relationship in which there is domestic violence. The other characters represent part of the debate other lesbians, heterosexuals, and services providers, may have when trying to assess the situation. Other characters such as the Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, the lesbian poet Sappho and Eros (Cupid) enable a focused and overt debate on same sex domestic violence
BR: What is the main message you are trying to get across?
C: That same sex domestic violence is a reality, and we all have a responsibility to play our part in ensuring that adequate support is made available, personally and professionally.
BR: Well said. And you are doing it in an inspiring and creative way with the play. What was your inspiration for your characters?
C: The women I worked with during the workshop process, women from Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Newcastle.
BR: Was casting the roles easy? What did you look for in your actresses?
C: Our first priority was that they were either lesbians or believable as lesbians. The group that created the characters in the same sex domestic violence relationship had originally created the person experiencing violence as ‘femme’ and the perpetrator as ‘butch’. However, after looking at the research, getting advice from experts and consulting back with our group we came to the conclusion that it would be more effective in challenging preconceived ideas and stereotypes if we had the femme as perpetrator and the butch as ‘survivor’.
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