Issue of women’s safety to be highlighted in production at East Riding College
York-based theatre company Next Door But One will shine a light on the issue of women’s safety when it brings a new production of ‘She Was Walking Home’ to Bridlington this month.
The company will perform its testimonial-based performance at East Riding College’s Bridlington Campus on St Mary’s Walk on Thursday, September 25.
Originally produced as an audio walk around York city centre in 2021, She Was Walking Home is a series of monologues created from the testimonies of women living, working and studying in York.
Recent data published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council showed that crime related to violence against women and girls increased by 37% between 2018 and 2023, with one in every 12 women a victim per year.
The cast will deliver performances and workshops for college students, and then a public performance to bring this moving story to local residents ‘to help keep this vital conversation alive’.
Kate Veysey, the director of the performance, said: “This project was initially called into action by the women we work with, who were all having more and more conversations around their own safety after a number of attacks and murders reported in the media.
“And with each stage of development it has been the community that has guided us: the audio walk was created from 33 testimonies of local women, the 2022 tour was produced through feedback from listeners who wished to bring their friends, colleagues and social groups to engage in the conversation, and the resounding message from that audience was the want from parents for their children to see this, for teachers wanting their schools to witness, and young women wanting their male peers to come with them. So that's what we started doing!”
Its most recent tour in 2024 reached 14 schools and colleges across York and North Yorkshire, engaging 1,735 young people in conversations about safety, consent, and allyship.
Students called it “Powerful, thought-provoking, relatable, and impactful” with all engaged making pledges of change – from calling out misogynistic jokes and banter, to challenging inappropriate behaviour of peers and having more open conversations about respect, consent and safety.
Visit www.nextdoorbutone.co.uk for further information and to book free tickets.