Theatre production gives voice to domestic violence victims

The novel was written by former award-winning South African radio and TV news and business news anchor Tracy Going. | Supplied

The novel was written by former award-winning South African radio and TV news and business news anchor Tracy Going. | Supplied

Published May 19, 2022

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Durban - Brutal Legacy, a novel about survival and healing from domestic violence, was adapted into a theatre production and will be on at the Playhouse Theatre in Durban from May 19-22.

The novel was written by former award-winning South African radio and TV news and business news anchor Tracy Going. Her perseverance to speak out against domestic violence and being the voice of the abused led her to become a founding member of Beyond Our Voices, a non-profit company aimed at raising awareness of gender-based violence (GBV).

Going said she was committed to speaking out about violence in order to minimise shame and empower victims to bring about positive change in their lives.

She said she wanted others, especially women, to know that violence was unacceptable and that no one deserves to live in fear.

Brutal Legacy, a novel about survival and healing from domestic violence, was adapted into a theatre production and will be on at the Playhouse Theatre in Durban from May 19-22. | Supplied

This theatre production was inspired by Going’s past life and upbringing.

This theatre adaptation explores the parallels between Going’s childhood with an alcoholic father and her adult trauma at the hands of an abusive boyfriend. It is on stage that she recruits her younger self to help write a memoir, which pushes the two versions of herself into a showdown, where they explore the concepts of blame versus shame and question if there will ever be actual healing.

The play was directed by award-winning theatre director Lesedi Job. Written and adapted by Natasha Sutherland, who also plays the older Tracy, the play features Charlie Bouguenon as the perpetrator and Jessica Wolhuter as the young Tracy.

Written and adapted by Natasha Sutherland, who also plays the older Tracy. | Supplied

“Brutal Legacy, although one woman’s journey in the telling, is essentially the story of so many. It is a story of going back to the wound and confronting self. As the director I have drawn attention to the violence, trauma and deep mental scarring that comes from either living in a home where there’s abuse or having been abused.

“But ultimately I have chosen to focus on healing, because healing takes courage,” said Job.

The story is said to focus more on Going’s childhood, with older Tracy recalling how she would listen out for her father’s arrival home, judging from the sound of his footsteps how drunk he was and how violent the night would be. This is Going’s way of being naked to the people and showing how hard living was and also showing us why she is the way she is, showing people what shaped her.

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