Written by Mariem Omari | Directed by Umar Ahmed
A powerful production, set within the beauty, sounds and aromas of an Asian-Scots wedding celebration, explores the real-life stories of honour-based violence.
A captivating mix of verbatim storytelling, physical theatre and live music, this vibrant performance provides a bold and hard-hitting insight into the lived experience of survivors and perpetrators of honour-based violence in ethnic minority communities around Scotland.
Photography by Mihaela Bodlovic
The performance, which had a sold out Glasgow showcase in 2016, exposes how the choices we make, the families we are born into, and the expectations of others can shape our lives irrevocably. If I had a girl… speaks for those who suffer honour-based violence, and all who have experienced violence at home, whose voices are silenced or stolen and ultimately offers hope.
Press
Radio Interviews:
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network Reports
BBC Reporting Scotland
BBC John Beattie Show
BBC Radio Scotland - Janice Forsyth Show
Cast
Cast Louise Haggerty, Rehanna MacDonald, Storm Skyler McClure, Manjot Sumal, Mandy Bhari (2017 Scottish Tour) and Shabana Bakhsh (Showcase 2016)
Written by Mariem Omari
Directed by Umar Ahmed
Dramaturgy by Stephen Barnes
Lighting Design by Laura Hawkins
Set Design by Michelle Huitson
Costume Design by Dilraj Kaur
Stage Management by Carrie Taylor
Running time: 75 minutes (no interval) | Age restriction: 14+
Produced by Amina - MWRC | @AminaMWRC | #IfIhadagirl
Supported by Big Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government
Listings
2016 SHOWCASE
PREVIEW: Wednesday 13th April 2016, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
- Thursday 14th - Saturday 16th April 2016, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
UK TOUR Monday 27th February – Thursday 16th March 2017
PRESS NIGHT: Thursday 2nd March, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
- Monday 27th February 2017, Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Rd, Glasgow
- Thursday 2nd – Saturday 4th March 2017, Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh
- Tuesday 7th March 2017, Paisley Arts Centre, New Street, Paisley
- Wednesday 8th March 2017, Beacon Arts Centre, Custom House Quay, Greenock
- Friday 10th March 2017, Lemon Tree, 5 West North Street, Aberdeen
- Tuesday 14th March 2017, Eden Court, Bishops Road, Inverness
- Thursday 16th March 2017, Dundee Rep Theatre, Tay Square, Dundee
Writer Mariem Omari said:
“Storytelling is healing. This is the reason why If I had a girl... was born. After running a three-day workshop focused on healing and storytelling for women who have experienced abuse and honour-based violence, we decided we wanted these stories to have a life beyond the workshop, and I started a year long process of weaving the stories together. It was clear that I needed to balance the women’s stories against the stories of men who have lived the experience of violence, either through perpetrating it or trying to stop it. With support from Safer Families in Edinburgh, I interviewed men on the Caledonia Programme - a three-year programme for men with a record of domestic violence - to give a more complete picture of the journeys that all these people go on, and their struggles against a backdrop of long held cultural and religious traditions based on honour and shame.
“At times the performance can be challenging to watch, but my focus was always on what I wanted the audience to feel and the integrity of the stories. There is a wonderful push-pull between the drama and the humour that unfolds as each story is revealed to the audience.”