In response to the global rise in violence against women and children during the pandemic,  PUNCHED is a series of monologues based on women’s experiences of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

On December 6th 2021 at The Criterion Theatre, there will be a fundraising performance of this play, directed by Jude Kelly CBE, in support of the annual global initiative – 16 Days To End Global Violence Against Women – and to raise money for The Circle, Refuge and Southall Black Sisters.

Raw, honest, funny and devastating – survivors of all demographics and nationalities write searing truths; sharing experiences between generations and nations – our mothers, our daughters, ourselves.

Producers, Donna Air (The Split) and Lorien Haynes (Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men) are joined by collaborators Sadie Frost, Belinda Stewart Wilson, Sophie Linfield, spoken word poet Miss Yankey and a powerful line up of  – Tracy-Ann Oberman, Hester Ruoff, Issy Knopfler, Priyanga Burford, Sofia Barclay, Saffron Burrows, Storme Toolis, Ally Mackie, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Akiya Henry, Ferdinand Kingsley, Rebecca Scroggs, Victoria Smurfit, Lesley Sharpe, Trinity Tristan and Bre Blair  – all standing in solidarity.

Sam Taylor Johnson has shot a personal address from Annie Lennox, and Saffron Burrows has directed a short film with Marianne Jean-Baptiste in support of Nonceba – a South African rape crisis centre.

Director Jude Kelly CBE is the CEO of The WOW Foundation, a charity she founded in 2018 to run the global movement that is WOW – Women of the World Festivals. The Festivals began in the UK in 2010, launched by Kelly at the Southbank Centre London, where she was Artistic Director, to celebrate women, girls and non-binary people: taking a frank look at what prevents them from achieving their potential, raising awareness globally of the issues they face, and discussing solutions together,

Written by Lorien Haynes, Rahila Gupta, Bliss Thomas, Peggy Vance, Sadie Frost, Belinda Stewart Wilson, Ally Mackie, Trinity Tristan and Sophie Linfield.
All profits from the evening will be donated to:

The Circle – a global feminist organisation founded by Annie Lennox supporting vulnerable women and girls around the world www.thecircle.ngo

Refuge – providing helplines and protection for women and children against domestic violence  www.refuge.org.uk

Southall Black Sisters  – who have spend over 40 years advocating to protect women and girls www.southallblacksisters.org.uk                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

For further help and support visit www.telleverything.org

Helplines: Refuge – 0808 2000 247   Southall Black Sisters – 0208 571 9595