Patere Theatrum (New York) presents the World Premiere of Broken Dolls (Razbitye Kuklu), a theatrical, journalistic docu-drama about the traumatic indoctrination suffered by victims of the global sex trafficking industry. Broken Dolls is being performed at C Cubed from 31 July to 25 August, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014.
Broken Dolls recounts the story of Narcisa, a young Moldovan girl, tricked and sold into the sex industry when a seemingly innocent interview turns into her worst nightmare.
Two years later, Jonas, an investigative journalist, locates Narcisa in a Turkish brothel; having endured rape, sadistic punishment and humiliation, coupled with consistent fears of deportation and torture. Through Jonas’ eyes, Broken Dolls aims to expose the traumatic process of desensitisation, which indoctrinates victims to the point where they become perpetrators of their own learned-abuse as a means of survival.
“I’m dead inside…just a whore. This is all I know how to do…so, I willingly came back…”
The Edinburgh Reporter met with writer Matthew Ackland and Ilona Saic who plays Narcisa to find out more about the show (and to get some preview clips!). Thanks to Underbelly who allowed us a free shot on the Festival Wheel.
Sex trafficking, often the sad consequence of the effort to find work and achieve a better, safer life, is an exceedingly barbaric, highly profitable component of modern-day slavery. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the annual numbers of victims of human trafficking world-wide are in the millions; most of whom are women and children enslaved into the sex industry.
With accounts of shattered dreams and memories of lives lost the audience of Broken Dolls becomes a voyeur to the lives of those currently enslaved at the hands of ruthless traffickers and pimps; the harsh reality of the post-communist, free-market economy, where humans prey upon humans for easy money.
Matthew Ackland, a journalistic playwright who focuses on victim trauma and the current political climate, said of Broken Dolls: ‘Since the collapse of communism in 1989, the sex-trafficking industry has become one of the fastest growing shadow-economies to date. This ruthless, heinous, demonic, perverted illusion of neo-capitalism, has contributed to the unfathomable destruction (and in many cases execution) of scores of young women from around the world. I want to start the dialogue into why government departments criminalize sex-workers, and do very little to determine the legitimacy of their circumstances.’
Broken Dolls is endorsed by The SAGE Project (Standing Against Global Exploitation) – www.sagesf.org. It is one of the first theatrical productions to partner with an anti-trafficking organisation, in order to raise awareness and provoke further debate.
Website: www.brokendollstheplay.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brokendollsplay
Box Office Details:
Venue : C Venues – C Cubed, Riddle’s Court, 322 Lawnmarket, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2PG
Venue No : Venue 16
Dates: 31 July to 25 August (Not 12 August)
Time: 18:30 to 19:40 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Ticket Prices: 31 July, 1, 11, 18 &1 9 August – £8.50 (£6.50) / 6 & 7, 13 & 14, 20 & 21 August – £9.50 (£7.50) / 2 – 5, 8- 10, 15 – 17, 22 – 25 August – £10.50 (£7.50)
Box Office: C Venues – +44 (0)845 260 1234 / Fringe – +44 (0)131 226 0000 / https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/broken-dolls-razbitye-kuklu
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
