Mum and daughter team put domestic abuse in spotlight

A mother and daughter who know the effects domestic violence can have are hoping a hard-hitting play will help other victims when they bring it to a Spalding stage.

Alison Honeybun, from Gedney, and her daughter Sophie, from Fleet, have teamed up to produce and direct a play called Behind Closed Doors, to be performed by the St Nicolas Players this month.

The show will run over four nights at the South Holland Centre, Spalding, and the mother and daughter team hope it will get the message across to more people that help is available for victims of domestic abuse.

Alison said: “The play brings to the forefront the taboo but oh so familiar and often unspoken situations women find themselves in and covers physical and pyschological domestic abuse in the home.

“This play is close to mine and Sophie’s hearts for personal reasons and if the performances help just one person to realise that they do not have to put up with domestic abuse then we will have acheived what we set out to do and that will be fantastic.

“We need to get the message out there that people do not have to stay in an abusive relationship, there is help available and this play highlights the different types of domestic abuse.

“It probably sounds wrong when it is obviously tackling such a serious subject, but the play is actually very funny, with some great one-liners.

“That humour is necessary to counteract the scenes depicting the abuse and hopefully it will help to get the message across.”

Alison and Sophie have the support of the team at Lincolnshire County Council which supports victims of domestic violence, as well as Lynne Mitchell, of Women’s Aid South Holland (WASH), which they hope to make a donation from the proceeds of the play.

Alison has been involved with St Nicolas Players for four years, while Sophie joined two years ago.

Alison said: “Sophie had been involved co-directing one of our previous plays and when she was approached to do the Players’ spring production she knew she wanted to do something different.

“Behind Closed Doors is a difficult and challenging play with a cast of just eight.

“It has been quite an intense experience.”

Players perform black comedy

Behind Closed Doors, by playwright Janet Shaw, will be performed at the South Holland Centre, Spalding, from Wednesday, March 18 to Saturday, March 21.
Tickets cost £9.50 (£8.50 concessions) and are available from the box office on 01775 764777.
St Nicolas Players is one of the oldest amateur dramatic groups in the country and its members are looking forward to performing the “black comedy” to a packed house.
For more information, visit the website at www.stnicolasplayers.co.uk