'She Swallowed that Lie", a new Australian theatre production created and performed in collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous women who have lived prison experience and marginalised youth from regional Victoria will premiere at Chapel Off Chapel from 25 – 27 August.
'She Swallowed that Lie', is presented by Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company. The play provides an insight into the resilience of the performers and captures the stories and voices of women who have experienced the cycles that lead to incarceration.
In an interview with NITV Radio, Kgshak Akec, an early career writer, artist and member of Somebody's Daughter Theatre Company explains some of the key themes explored in the play including diversity and belonging and social stigma.
“My family and I migrated to Geelong in 2006. Back then there was no diversity whatsoever. We were one of the only African families living in Geelong… You know I have a lot of cousins who live in Melbourne. They’ve never known what it is like to be the only person that looks like you in your street, in your suburb… your whole region, “ Kgshak said.
Palawa woman Hayley and Gunditjmara woman Chiara say they can fully relate to what Kgshak went through as they also, in many ways, did not fit in the mainstream community in regional towns where they grew up.
Both women say, together with their families, they developed strategies to mitigate stigmas including hiding their Aboriginal heritage. However, both were picked on because of other identifiers that set them apart from the mainstream.
