Smack That (a conversation) UK Tour

Aim

Rhiannon Faith’s Smack That (a conversation), raising awareness about Domestic Abuse. Support our Barbican premiere and UK Tour.

Rhiannon Faith is a socially conscious artist whose work is an agent for discourse and change; she makes interdisciplinary, form-defying shows resulting in dance theatre with a loud mouth.

Our first major dance work at the Barbican's world renowned arts centre, Smack That (a conversation) is an ambitious new dance theatre show with a strategic legacy, that will turn arts venues into safe spaces and provide victims of domestic abuse support and help. 

 ‘Rhiannon Faith is a silly, serious and brave contemporary female heroine. She will go far.’ (Total Theatre)

Rhiannon Faith makes dance theatre that tackles difficult topics.  She has always protested to stop violence against women and children,  and has now made a show that will be part of the activism that contributes to raising awareness. She has waited to find the right partners and to have the time to do the project justice.  With the Barbican on board Rhiannon Faith is raising funds to take the show on a UK tour which will have it's London premiere at the Barbican in June 2018, as part of their 2018 Season, The Art of Change, which explores how artists respond to, reflect and can potentially effect change in the social and political landscape.

Rhiannon Faith’s new work Smack That (a conversation) sees both performers and non-performers come together to tell their real stories of domestic abuse in a unique, turbulent and empowering way.

Beverly is having a party and you are her guest.

Shameless and subversive dance theatre about human resilience, survival and how we care for one another.

Expect games, dancing, humour and a raw and honest account of domestic abuse.

Our first major dance work for the world renowned barbican and we need you support to make it possible.

What It will look like

The show is set at a party, and the audience are invited into the conversation. On stage the four participants are joined by three dance artists and their stories of abuse are juxtaposed against a party where they play party games with the audience and celebrate their survival. Expect bold and energetic dance, heart-breaking theatre and statistics that are hard to believe, as we see a group of fearless women come together and care for one another. 

Created by the endlessly inventive Rhiannon Faith the show tackles the taboo subject of domestic abuse, creates awareness and offers prevention tools.

The project has involved a series of intensive
 participatory workshops and interviews with female
 survivors of domestic abuse, organised by the charity Safer Places and
 Harlow Playhouse. Smack That (a conversation) is the culmination of an extensive research and development period which has led to the participants finding ways to perform their stories, consult on the creation and speak to the world about what needs to change.

How can this work change the world? 

The show tackles a taboo subject, creates awareness and offers prevention tools. Audiences will leave with important information about Domestic Abuse and a rage in their belly to support action for change.

We will ask art venues to commit to becoming a J9 safe space for women.

Throughout the development of the show the company have collaborated with Joanne Majauskis, Director of Practice and Development at Safer Places. Together Rhiannon Faith & Joanne have created a legacy package, which will allow venues to become part of the J9 initiative.

J9 is a new national initiative providing contact points to help victims of domestic abuse. Rhiannon Faith invites touring venues to be part of this initiative and will provide free J9 training for staff at partnering venues as part of Smack That (a conversation) tour package.

Named after Janine Mundy, who was killed in Cornwall by her estranged husband while he was on police bail, the J9 national initiative aims to provided safe and secure opportunities for victims to disclose domestic abuse and then access a full support system.

J9 venues display pink J9 stickers in their windows, signalling to the public that it is safe to talk. Staff at each J9 contact point are provided with training to raise awareness and increase understanding of domestic abuse. They are trained to signpost, advice and spot the signs of domestic abuse. Each venue has a safe place where victims can access information and use a phone to call for further help.

First launched in Essex, so far over 100 staff from more than 30 public and voluntary organisations in west Essex, including Harlow Council and The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, have been trained so they can put victims in touch with professional help. Councillor Emma Toal, Harlow Council’s Portfolio Holder for Youth & Community, said:

“Many victims of domestic abuse both women and men suffer in silence and are often afraid to turn to others for support. The J9 initiative reaches out to people to provide the help they so desperately need. By training staff and setting up contact points where people can access discreet information on the support available victims will know that they are not alone. The hope is that more businesses will now join the initiative and sign up for training.”

Our touring package will include 1/2 day training for venue staff followed by an evening performance of Smack That (a conversation).

Harlow Playhouse is the first arts venue to have become a J9 Venue.

All members of the creative team have received J9 training.   This training has supported and influenced the creative process, offering invaluable insight into the social impact of domestic abuse, both as an individual and as a society.

Who else is backing it? 

We are currently booking a UK tour and need your help to get the show on the road.  After an early sharing, the Barbican booked the work. Rhiannon Faith has worked really hard to secure support and already has a lot of people on board but needs help to make the next part of this project happen.  

Smack That (a conversation) is commissioned by Harlow Playhouse and supported by Arts Council England, Essex County Council, DanceEast, Rich Mix, Arts Depot and developed through the Open Lab at Barbican/Guildhall.  

Supported by charity Safer Places, the leading care provider for domestic abuse victims in Essex.

To realise this project we need support from a variety of sources: commissioning funds, Arts Council England project funding, grants from trusts and foundations, in-kind support from partner organisations and donations from you.  With your help the critically acclaimed Rhiannon Faith (Scary S**t, The Date) will shine a light on domestic abuse and the way in which we talk about it.

Why we need your support... 

From these donations the following can happen:

£2000 will pay towards 7 strong women, on stage, telling their stories

£1000 will pay towards childcare for the participants

£500 will pay towards a counsellor to work with the women

£250 will pay towards staff to deliver J9 training

£100 will pay towards Public Relations to maximise awareness of campaign

£50 will pay for towards marketing

£25 will pay towards set design

£15, £10, £5 will contribute to all of the above. 

‘Bold, brave and moving.’ (Evening Standard on Rhiannon Faith)
  
‘Form-defying and experimental.’
(Edfringe Review on Rhiannon Faith)

Risks and challenges

Rhiannon Faith is a small-scale company trying to do big things. She really wants to make a change and the best way she knows how to do this is by making this show. By donating you are making that change more achievable.

Thank you so much for reading about this campaign. Rhiannon Faith promises to make this show something that you will be really proud of.

photography by Foteini Christofilopoulou

This project successfully funded on 27th September 2017