Told through music, spoken word and dance, And What Will People Say? explores the unspoken realities of domestic violence. Grounded in real-world perspectives the emotionally evocative performance was designed to awaken empathy.

Written by Amani Mahmoud, with words narrated by Maithly Dhawan, the work follows the story of a mother who stays for the sake of the children. It unfolds in three excerpts —when the children are toddlers, teenagers and finally young adults. This harrowing tale is told through poetic, at times lyrical, language “the sun dripping like honey” paints a vivid picture that beneath the happy family photos are smeared tears.

Directed by Kersh Sivakumaran, founder of Behind Closed Doors Theatre (BCD), an organisation dedicated to sharing the stories of diverse and marginalised communities in Australia, the performance is told from the perspective of the mother and her children. The audience never hears about the beatings or physical violence directly; Mahmoud’s text offers enough detail to hint at the aggression without showing it. As Sivakumaranputs it, “it was an intentional choice not to retraumatise or trigger audiences. Instead, the goal was to spark empathy and encourage people to think differently, notice differently, and feel more empowered to act on domestic violence.” This decision serves a dual purpose: easing the audience into the story while exploring the reasons the mother chooses to stay. Fear of fracturing her family, believing it to be her karma, concern over community shame and the judgement that will fall upon her daughter.

While it is the mother who bears the brunt of the aggression, the abuse has a ripple effect, impacting her children, leaving them with guilt, anger and fear—years of trauma that led to their own toxic relationships. She continues, pointing to the subtler dynamics at play.

“I wanted audiences to recognise the many nuanced behaviours we’ve normalised, and to see how — when examined from a child’s perspective, as in our show — those small behaviours reveal themselves as deeply problematic. It’s the little things that accumulate into the big things.”

Sivakumaran breaks-up the heartbreaking story with moments of musical respite. She explains: “my aim was to create space for reflection, for feeling, and also for relief.” Each excerpt is interwoven with music and dance. Three musicians sit on a rug playing violin (Narthana Kanagasabai, veena (Indu Balachandran) and mridangam (Pirashanna Thevarajah), while Gayatri Krishnamurthy (as the mother), performs in Bharatanatyam (classical Indian dance) to mime the unfolding story.

The idea for this piece grew from Sivakumaran’s volunteer work, listening to stories from the community. “More than a show — it’s a conversation we desperately need,” Sivakumaran notes. South Asian families chronically underreport domestic violence for fear of shame, guilt and isolation. While the performance centres on these stories, its context is tragically something many cultures can relate to. Developed in consultation with psychologists, counsellors, social workers, and community members, the work aims to stop the gaslighting, break the cycles of abuse, and open conversations about support. Reflecting on the creative process, Sivakumaran stresses the importance of collaboration.

“Their input shaped everything from character development to pacing, to how we could tell an important story without re-traumatising the audience. Each person brought personal and professional experiences, and in many ways, there’s a piece of the whole consultation team woven into the narrative.”

Three mediums—music, movement and words—combine to evoke audience resonance and response. Sivakumaran has created a powerful work balances light and darkness. While some moments may jolt audiences and bring tears, And What Will People Say? is told with compassion and deep consideration.

4 stars

Run time: 60 minutes (no interval).

Presented by Behind Closed Doors Theatre, And What Will People Say?  is playing at Pottery Lane Performance Space until 21 September 2025.  For tickets visit: Sydney Fringe