ED2013 4/5 Reviews ED2013 Theatre Reviews

Nirbhaya (Assembly, Riverside Studios and Poorna Jagannathan)

By | Published on Wednesday 14 August 2013

Nirbhaya is a Hindi word meaning ‘fearless’ which became synonymous in 2012 with Jyoti Singh Pandey, the victim of an appalling sexual assault. This shocking event and her subsequent death set in motion a public outcry and forms the starting point of this distressing but compelling play. Performed by the survivors of real life abuses, at times this is intensely uncomfortable viewing. As each tells her deeply personal story, the show develops into a universal exploration of victimhood. Their harrowing testimonies are handled with great care, and the text crackles with poetry, fury and complexity, while simple stage pictures pick out moments of particular horror or fragile beauty. Like the women at its heart, this is a powerful and fearless production.

Assembly Hall, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 4.00pm.
tw rating 4/5 | [Dave Fargnoli]



READ MORE ABOUT: | | |