Stay
"Stay" is a performance concerned with domestic abuse.
It begins with a couple moving in to share a home for the first time. It then depicts the collapse of their relationship in the face of the man’s controlling behaviour, emotional abuse and physical violence. It also explores the experiences of the woman in relation to his abuse.
During the course of the performance the man engages periodically with the audience, attempting to justify his actions. The discrepancy between his version of events and the manipulative strategies he employs against his partner become increasingly evident. At the end, the audience is called on directly to advise him on how he can take responsibility for his actions and how he might change.
The performance aims to provide a challenging insight into one man’s cycle of abuse, the attitudes and beliefs which support it and the impact on the victim.
It can be used within domestic violence groupwork as a stimulus to self-recognition and as a tool for exploring denial and victim empathy. We also perform "Stay" at training events for professionals working with perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse.
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