Blog Breaking the Silence Rwanda
For an insider’s view on our newest project, the theatre play ‘Breaking The Silence – You Are Not Alone’, please visit the blog:
Blog Breaking the Silence You Are Not Alone Rwanda
Theatre Play Breaking the Silence 2012
Theatre program
‘Breaking the Silence – You are not Alone’
Theatre project in collaboration with Ikobe Muzik Group and Amrita Performing Arts.
‘Breaking the silence – You are not alone’ is an innovative project that uses theatre performances to illustrate the similarities in the recent history of Cambodia and Rwanda, to promote dialogue within the Rwandan communities and thereby contribute to the conditions for the development of a stable and harmonious future.
Like Rwanda, Cambodia has experienced the destruction of genocide and now faces the challenge of rebuilding the economy, reducing poverty, and – at the same time – seeking to repair the massive fissures in the social texture. Victims and perpetrators continue to struggle, on a personal level, with their experiences and social ties between these groups, as community members, continue to be subject to considerable stress. Whilst dialogue and reflection are necessary in order to achieve healing and repair ties, speaking about these matters in public is very difficult. Finding adequate words and dealing with all the feelings involved is harsh.
‘Breaking the Silence – You are not alone’ will create a space for discussion and reflection. It focuses on an oral testimony of the Khmer Rouge members and victims and tells the story of seven perpetrators and victims in a series of short monographs. The play is adapted to the Rwandan context and audience –by including translations, Rwandan actors and music.
Six plays will be performed during the commemoration period (April 2012) in several cities throughout Rwanda. The plays are followed by a Q&A session semi-structured focus group debates about the themes raised by the play, led and facilitated by a La Benevolencija staff member and a trained grass roots member.
‘Breaking the Silence – You are not alone’ is a Radio La Benevolencija HTF and Amrita Performing Arts co-production, in collaboration with Ikobe Muzik Group. It is made possible by the kind support of Royal Netherlands Embassy Kigali, Prince Claus Fund Netherlands, Open Society Foundations, Goethe-Institut, private donations, Ishyo Arts Center Rwanda and Positive Production Rwanda.
Breaking the Silence, the original play, was made possible by the additional support of Theatre Institute in the Netherlands (‘Theater Instituut Nederland’) and the Esplanade Studio Theater Series in Singapore.