In October, for Black History Month, Freedom Tongues and Naiad Productions will present Bullet Hole by Gloria Williams, which explores the relationship between three black British-born women who are survivors of Female Genital Mutilation.
With an all-female cast, Bullet Hole premièred at the 2017 Camden Fringe Festival and was nominated for the Alfred Fagon Audience Choice Award. This re-worked version is to be directed by Lara Genovese, founder of Naiad Productions, and with a cast including playwright Gloria Williams with Doreene Blackstock and Anni Domingo.
Young Londoner Cleo was given her 'gift' at the age of seven. How can Cleo love her body when she is further scarred by a brutal sexual assault at the hands of her husband? Cleo resolves to go against her family's wishes and seeks reversal surgery.
Williams said of her play, "I have always been passionate about exposing the issues affecting the black community. My first play Monday explored child abuse in a black British religious family.
"I developed Bullet Hole as I believed writing a play about Female Genital Mutilation was a good platform to condemn an old tradition which oppresses women. This brutal practice is still present in our current time, worldwide-spread, and is not spoken about enough. I hope that the production serves to raise awareness using drama as a tool to educate audiences."
Bullet Hole will be at Park Theatre in London from 2 to 27 October 2018.