“Beyond dead husbands, the women of cell 7A have very little in common. On the bright side, a life sentence leaves a lot of time to talk. Join them, and their new cell mate, as they relive their lives, share their secrets... and confess their crimes.
Five women. Five stories. One cell. It’s time to meet the Black Widows.”
Black Widows is a brand new musical, unlike anything you’ve seen and heard before: raw, immersive, powerful - as funny as it is evocative. This dark comedy musical aims to go beyond the call of entertaining audiences and instead seeks to empower women all across the U.K. to start the fight back against the epidemic within the pandemic: domestic abuse.
WHO ARE WE?
We are a female led team, all under the age of 30. We are experienced, passionate theatre makers, bringing our biggest project yet to life: a musical with morals.
WHAT IS THE PROJECT?
We are well aware as theatre makers the immense impact of live theatre and it’s immediacy, a treasure that has been lost in these difficult times. We have created a fully scripted, fully orchestrated musical to engage, educate, and entertain. Our intent is to draw audiences in with humour and charm, but to leave with a clear message. Upon learning the dramatic effect COVID-19 has had for domestic abuse victims, we felt we had to do something. But what? What could theatre makers do? We believe as theatre returns, it must be bold and it must challenge: we’ve all been entertained by endless Netflix and iPlayer sessions during the lockdown period, but this will never equate to the feeling of sitting in audience, as one waits for the curtain to open.
WHY NOW?
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Almost one in three women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime. With two women a week being killed by a current/former partner in England and Wales alone, with over 100 calls to the police per hour
(Office for national statistics, 2018)
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Calls to the National Domestic Abuse helpline increased 50% within three weeks of the U.K. lockdown due to COVID-19
(BBC News, May 2020)
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In Bristol alone, the police receive on average 18 domestic abuse-related calls a day
(Avon and Somerset Constabulary, 2016)
Something needs to be done. Regardless of when the when the COVID-19 restrictions end and we are able to safely begin our project, domestic violence will continue. Everyone knows someone affected, whether you are aware of it or not... the fightback starts now.