Wounded to Death |
« Wounded to Death » is a collection of monologues written by Serena Dandini in collaboration with Maura Misiti, a researcher at the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italian National Research Council), based on the Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Master, the original feature of which was that it allowed the voices of the dead to be heard. In the same way the monologues that make up « Wounded to Death », drawing on various facts and judicial investigations, are the posthumous and imaginary accounts related in the first person of women who have died as the result of acts of violence inflicted most often by a husband, a companion, a lover or an ex.
The play, performed by women in the public eye, challenges public opinion, the media and institutions. It encourages all of us, both men and women, to reflect on the scourge of violence done to women and on ways of putting an end to it.
In Tunisia, « Wounded to Death » will be introduced by a monologue, representing Tunisian women, based on fact and written by ATFD activists. Most of the monologues will be read in Modern Standard Arabic and Tunisian dialect. Some will be read in French.
On stage at the Théâtre 4ème Art on 8 March alongside Serena Dandini and Maura Misiti will be Jalila Baccar (actress), Emma Bonino (former Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs), Fatma Saidenne (actress), Amel Hamrouni (singer), Bochra Belhaj Hmida (Member of Parliament), Latifa Lakhdhar (Tunisian Minister of Culture), Besma Khalfeoui (Chairperson of the Chokri Belaid Foundation), Nadia Khiari (caricaturist), Meriem Belkadhi (journalist), Raja Dahmeni (ATFD), Lina Ben Mhenni (blogger), Najwa Rezgui (former political prisoner) and Amira Yahyeoui (Chairperson of BAWSSALA).
"The elimination of violence to women, including that perpetrated behind the doors of their homes, is a national responsibility. Our organizations have been working for a long time to put an end to this universal scourge. It seemed natural to us to promote this play, which is a very good way of making the public aware of this state of affairs and grabbing the attention of the political-decision makers", stated Khadija Cherif, FIDH Deputy Secretary General for Women’s Rights.
"All the monologues in Wounded to Death speak to us of future crimes, murders of women by men who should have loved and protected them", explains Serena Dandini. "It is not by chance that the perpetrators are very often their husbands, fiancés or exes. It is massacres within families that sadly come along one after the other and continue to fill the pages of our daily newspapers. Silent suffering is hidden away behind closed shutters and murder is just the tip of the iceberg of abuse and suffering caused by domestic violence. That is why we believe that we must not stop talking about it and must endeavour, including through theatre, to raise the maximum public awareness of it".
Entry to the play is free but you are recommended to book your seat as soon as possible: by clicking here.