Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid express their stories, thoughts and concerns in Alchemy

Theatre Royal Associate Artists Danusia Iwaszko and Lucinda Meredith have been working together with Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid (The Refuge) to create and hold a series of writing workshops; using the tools of theatre to help women to express their stories, thoughts and concerns.

Alchemy is the developed work of these women and will be presented as script in hand readings on Wednesday, March 28.

Generated through a residency at Women’s Aid Bury St Edmunds new Resource Centre, the work will perform to sector staff, policy makers and students – the support staff of the future, social care students including midwives, nurses, social work staff and students.

Danusia said: “As well as developing writing and dialogue skills as the women revisit their stories, we are also exploring other issues around domestic abuse like gas lighting and coercive control and the effects of such things on the women’s self-esteem. As well as the pain of revisiting the stories the sessions have laughter and a real sense of support as the women share their stories and realise they’re not alone, others have experienced similar events.”

Alchemy is the ancient art of turning base metal into gold and the Women’s Refuge Writers’ Group have been turning their painful stories into valuable work which they want to share with you.

This is a performance of work from the voices of experts by experience; women who are, or have been, in refuge. They are survivors of domestic abuse.