[Content warning: mentions topics some may find triggering]
“It wasn’t just my legs which were bloodsoaked, but my entire childhood.”
Through powerful writing, mischievous melody and hauntingly honest monologue, Enough Is Enough tells the true stories of women in Wales who have been raped and abused.
You might think such a show would be depressing, but you’d be wrong. The evening definitely displayed a range of emotions, but what it lacked spoke as loudly as what it contained: anger; boldness; camaraderie and sisterhood. Humour. Strength. But never defeat. The uniting power behind Enough Is Enough is the outright refusal to be a victim. The rock ‘n roll attitude spits in the face of everyone who urges you to keep quiet. It takes a deeply uncomfortable topic — strips away the fear, the guilt, the shame — and shouts it from the rooftops so it can’t be ignored.
The music was written by Maddie Jones so it’s no surprise it kicks ass.
Despite their surreal delivery, the stories and their reactions are all too familiar. The soundtrack often works against the narrator: shushing, laughing off, drowning out, explaining away. It captures the struggle to have honest dialogue perfectly. A particularly poignant scene pits idealistic government recommendations on combating abuse (read out in monotone) against the grim realities: horrifying statistics punctuated with cries of “legislation can’t control conscience” and “laws don’t function in the dark.”
Then, just as the dialogue starts to feel a little too real, the band don smiles and break into a cheerful, catchy jingle. The lyrics are infused with sarcasm, joyfully singing about defeat and futility.
While the entire team are to be commended for such a great piece of work, I have to give particular mention to frontwoman Pinar Öğün whose expressive, dynamic performance from start to finish was dazzling. It didn’t surprise me to learn she had been a pioneer of Enough Is Enough: she wasn’t just playing a role; every atom of her being resonated with passion for this project.
Even when the music had ended, the dialogue continued: after the performance audience members were invited to discuss the topics raised. I left feeling inspired. It takes a truly great team to be able to spend an evening intimately detailing abuse and yet somehow still put a smile on your face.
Highly recommended.
Enough is Enough is still at Chapter. You can catch it today at 2pm or Saturday at 7:30pm.
For more information and tour dates, head to enoughisenough-theplay.com
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