Audience can change the outcome in play about sexual assault

An interactive play coming to Sudbury and northeastern Ontario will tackle the issue of sexual assault and date violence.

The play, Far from the Heart, is about a girl who goes to a party and is sexually assaulted.

The actors then repeat some scenes, with members of the audience invited to come on to the stage to try and change the outcome, says Joan Chandler, the artistic director of the theatre group putting on the production.

"The fact that the audience is actually able to make change. And you see change happening in the moment. People having realizations. 'Oooooh.' You can see that happening in the audience."

Chandler says she realized from the first performance that it was going to make a difference.

"The solutions that they came up with were so authentic and brilliant, I've never heard audiences cheers so loudly in my life. They were so excited."

Social service agencies are also on hand to help anyone who may be affected by the performance and there is also a discussion group after the play.

From the Heart will show at the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre and Sudbury Secondary School on Friday, Oct. 6. There is also a public viewing at the Sudbury School of Dance on Saturday, Oct 7.

The production will also be performed in Espanola, Timmins and South River this month.