When We Died heads out on tour
Writer and performer after an intermittent performance at VAULT Festival in 2020 Alexandra Donnachie and Carbon Theater take their bold and captivating one-woman production when we died on tour this spring. Telling an intimate story of overcoming the past and struggling for control, this poignant production follows a woman as she confronts the body of the man who raped her 11 months ago. when we died is a powerful play about a woman’s decision to face her trauma and tell her story on her terms, with audiences and the dead willing to listen.
When an embalmer, often imagining the lives of those she is preparing for their final goodbyes, is unexpectedly confronted by a man she knows, she is faced with the decision to take control of her narrative and embrace it deep within her to face buried trauma. Written and performed by an award-winning actress and award-winning author and theater maker Alexandra Donnachie (Twenty eightJessica Lazar, Theater 503; 3 years, 1 week and a Lemon Drizzle, UK Tour, Edinburgh Fringe; BAFTA Winner 2019 Suffragettes with Lucy WorsleyBBC One/Book Lapping Productions), when we died highlights the central themes of male violence against women and ongoing trauma in this raw and moving one-woman show; Issues that remain prominent in our public consciousness. Despite efforts by various organizations and charities to better educate men and boys on how to speak up and stop violence against women, the statistics show little sign of slowing down. Reflecting the ongoing trauma that lies dormant within these themes, this production presents an honest portrayal of the reality of a survivor’s story.
After an early version was nominated for the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, when we died premiered at the VAULT Festival for a short and successful run before its disruption by COVID-19 in 2020. The production, which returns 3 years later, remains relevant and addresses the issues at hand in a fearless display of female strength and resilience.
Donnachie shows a revealed vulnerability and determination to share the story. when we died explores notions of agency and the choice to take charge of one’s narrative and whether or not to share it and with whom.
Writer and performer Alexandra Donnachie says: I am incredibly proud of the piece and very excited to take it with me when we died to be on the road and performing it again, but I feel incredibly torn between excitement that it’s still relevant to perform again and humiliation that its story isn’t out of date. I had never heard the names Sarah Everard or Zara Aleena when I started writing when we died and I hate that now I know her for the wrong reasons. Violence against women isn’t stopping or even seems to be showing signs of slowing down, and whether our game can help raise awareness and help educate those of us – especially men – about the importance of shouting often , which can start out as ‘joke’ and ‘banter’ but can quickly become sinister, at which point I’m happy to carry it on until it’s deemed unnecessary.
tour dates
Wednesday 22nd March Town & Gown, 8 Market Passage, Cambridge, CB2 3PF https://www.townandgown.co.uk/
Saturday 25th March The Nest, Old Town Hall, Hastings TN34 3EW https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/when-we-died-tickets
Thursday 30thth March the Dukes, Moor Space, 15 Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QH https://dukeslancaster.org/
Friday 31St March Harrogate Theatre, 6 Oxford Street, Harrogate HG1 1QF https://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/
saturday 1St April Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/
Thursday 6thth April The Core in the Corby Cube, George Street, Corby NN17 1QG https://www.thecorecorby.com/
Recommended age 14+
Content Alerts Contains a report of rape and descriptions of corpses. Please note that rape will not be presented on stage at any time.
