Overview

London. A young woman in exile. She is free. She is safe. Safe, maybe, from the brutal political regime which imprisoned her merely for protesting. But what lingers is the violence and intimidation she lived through. Her body and psyche have dissociated in self-defence. PTSD. Now, walking through London, riding the Tube to unfamiliar places, she's trying to stitch herself back together, despite all the terrible memories which burst into her mind. The play premiered at Theatre Deli, London, as part of the Voila! Theatre Festival on 8 & 9 November 2024.

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9781915601711

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Reviews

The play serves as Komar's tribute to the fundamental role of women in the historical fight for human rights. Through her perspective, which draws connections between dictatorship and patriarchy, Komar unpacks how a woman's body can both absorb oppression and foster resistance. Georgia Beeston, Index on Censorship In the play Hanna explores the trauma response - the freezing, the disconnect, the lost voice. She is clearly now able to live in the moment, present in both body and mind. Through the vehicle of her autobiographical play, she announces to all of us, and confirms to herself, that she is here. She is heard and seen. She matters. Alison, member of the audience For me, it wasn't even a performance, but a revelation of the soul - and I watched it with my soul, and it was filled with love and compassion. What's most amazing is that it wasn't just for those who suffered and continue to suffer, or for all of us who were forced to leave our homes, our loved ones, and start over - but also for those who cause this suffering. A huge thank you to everyone who took part in creating and staging this performance. If it evokes such feelings, it is a complete success! Nonna, member of the audience It was wonderful and deeply moving, at times frightening and at others reassuring. The truths you both express separately and together engender hope not just for Belarus but in the wider world. Anthony, member of the audience You created a very beautiful and moving performance! I tried not to get too emotionally involved, so I wouldn't have to piece myself back together afterwards - and I managed that with my head, but you can't fool the body, and I felt it completely through the body. I find it very symbolic, because it echoes the title of your work and its meaning. Yanina, member of the audience Праз гэтую п'есу Комар ушаноўвае надзвычай вялікую ролю жанчын у гістарычнай барацьбе за правы чалавека. Праводзячы паралелі паміж дыктатурай і патрыярхатам, перажытымі на ўласным досведзе, Комар паказвае, як жаночае цела можа адначасова ўбіраць прыгнёт і нараджаць супраціў. Джорджыя Бістан, Index on Censorship Для мяне гэта быў нават не спектакль, а адкрыццё душы і я глядзела яго душой і мая душа напоўнілася любоўю і спагадай. І што самае дзіўнае, не толькі да тых, хто пацярпеў і працягвае пакутаваць, да ўсіх нас, хто вымушаны быў пакінуць свой дом, родных і пачаць усё спачатку, але і да тых, хто прычыняе гэтыя пакуты. Дзякуй вялікі ўсім, хто прыняў удзел у стварэнні і пастаноўцы гэтага спектакля. Калі ён выклікае такія пачуцці, гэта поўны поспех! Нона, глядачка

Author Information

HANNA KOMAR is an award-winning Belarusian author and activist, the recipient of the Freedom of Speech 2020 Prize from theNorwegian Writers Association. She is the author of five poetry collections, including Ribwort (3TimesRebel, 2023), and a non-fiction account of her incarceration for peaceful protest in Belarus, forthcoming in English from Skaryna Press. Hanna portrayed herself in the verbatim play The People Woke Up: 2020 Revolution in Belarus (Ice&Fire), which premiered in Edinburgh in September 2022. Body in Progress marked Hanna's debut as a playwright.

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