In the Yael Farber-directed Nirbhaya , which centred on the December 2012 rape case, producer Poorna Jagannathan, with four other actors broke the silence on sexual violence against women.
The powerful production gave many women the courage to speak of their experience with sexual violence and abuse. But the one feedback that stayed with Poorna was why stories of sexual violence against boys and men were not included. “We have to start from rock bottom when it comes to male sexual violence, because there is no acknowledgment of it. Before we break the silence around it, we first need to accept that it exists.”
Using theatre as a tool to tell powerful stories, yet again, Poorna has brought Martin Moran, American actor and writer, to perform solo shows of his award-winning plays The Tricky Part and All The Rage , to India. “One in two boys is abused in India. I hope the plays will make us acknowledge that there is such an epidemic.”
Directed by Seth Barrish, the pieces are testimonials drawn from Moran’s experience of sexual abuse from age 12 by his counsellor. But they are stories told with grace.
“He uses humour to lighten a very dark place in his life,” says Poorna, an American actor.
The Tricky Part is a contemplative piece, in which Martin tries to come terms with what happened to him as a boy. All The Rage emerged out of a reaction to The Tricky Part , in which Martin tries to understand why he didn’t feel anger towards his molester.
Martin explores “anger and compassion and where it meets in human life.” Poorna adds that both plays delve within the self, and that given the complex nature of sexual abuse, the plays aren’t black-and-white, but have shades of grey.
Poorna says she hopes that by addressing sexual violence against boys and men, we can make headway in solving sexual violence against women. “In our society we think men can’t be vulnerable. That it is not masculine to be vulnerable. This has to change.”
Poorna adds that there are NGOs like Enfold in Bangalore, Arpan in Mumbai and Rahi in Delhi that address child sexual abuse, including male sexual abuse.
The Tricky Part and All The Rage, each 80 minutes long, will be staged at Ranga Shankara from today till November 13.
