35 TIMES

Park & Dare, Treorchy, Wed 12 Sept; The Riverfront, Newport, Fri 14 Sept; Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil, Tue 25 Sept

The title stems from a grim but shocking truth – that on average, a person suffers from domestic abuse 35 times before they speak out – and some never do so at all. Supported by the Arts Council of Wales and RCT Theatres, Bethan Morgan and Jo Langhelt’s production is based on the experiences of many brave women.

In the play, six of those women are now finding their voices with the help of Jules’ Coffee Mornings, a place to get creative, meet up and perhaps most crucially, speak out. Unlike most coffee mornings, this one isn’t simply about hot drinks and biscuits – it’s a chance for these women to work out how they move on and take back their lives, away from the judgement of those outside.

The evening performance of 35 Times in Newport will also be audio described, with headsets available from the box office upon request when booking. Mercury Theatre Wales’ drama may indeed be gritty in terms of topic, but it’s also an impressive, important story of resilience and survival, and after the play’s brief but successful run last year, this revival is sure to be just as powerful.       

Tickets: £7-£12. Info: 0300 0040444 (Wed 12) / 01633 656757 (Fri 14) / 01685 384111 (Tue 25) (CE)