Family musical play called ‘In the Pants of a Woman’
I love women. You can call me a feminist because I am almost always advocating for womanhood at the least opportunity.
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In a setting like ours where women are often relegated to the background, men leading the fight for them means fighting for ourselves. Well, I cannot be faulted much because my mother is a woman just as my wife is.
Over the years, I have observed how many victims of abuse, especially women, in our society have been bullied into silence. They are treated worse than their abusers. We always find an excuse for the abuse, letting the perpetrator walk away as a free man.
Sexual abuse is rife in our world. It is one of the most common crimes which appears to be rare because a chunk of victims somewhat let such slide. They are afraid of marginalisation.
Those who are supposed to sympathise with them will judge them. Those who will not judge them will use such against them for the rest of their lives. IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN is a bold musical play that confronts the ugly event of rape.
Through 16 songs, it tackles the toxic narratives that have promoted a rape culture in our society over the years. The first of its kind, this is a play that is set to evoke a public discourse on rape and rapists. It questions our weak systems that have permitted this canker to thrive here.
In a society like ours, there is no comfortable way to talk about rape. The taboo topic that it is, many would rather assume it never happens. If change must happen in our world, however, we must be bold enough to approach some of these so-called abominable topics like rape. The more prominence we give to such themes, the safer our world becomes for the vulnerable.
Honestly, some of us would be shocked to the bone if we knew how many close friends of ours have had to endure sexual abuse throughout childhood. We will be left awed about how many of such victims almost got to the point of suicide.
I wrote IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN with every child and woman out there in mind. I had seen how some helpless women had been sexually abused. I had observed many times how some victims of sexual assault had been written off as promiscuous children.
The only way I could evoke a national (and hopefully global) conversation on such a toxic mindset was through a play ─ a play the entire family could come see. Though rape is a dark theme, I had to find a more entertaining medium to carry my message.
That medium was music. I began writing songs for the play ─ eventually penning down 16 of them. With varying genres that will touch the soul of our audience, my team is ready to thrill the world with this spellbinding story.
IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN is not your usual stage play. It gets one pondering over what has been normalised. An example of such is people asking for sexual favours in return for what others are due.
For instance, if you need to have your way with people to give them a job they are qualified for, then you are not any different from those sucking life out of this nation. This is a play for the family.
It will get children opening up on matters our society has always shut them up on. It is a play that will give the children the right information and reorient them on toxic narratives that have been hurled at them.
They say silence is golden. However, as far as abuse is concerned, silence is not golden. Victims need to voice out their abuse. Whenever a perpetrator is set free, they further unleash their libido on others.
The silence of the victim is the power of the abuser. I often get many parents asking me if it is not too early to start having conversations with their children about rape or defilement. I smile and ask them if they think their children are ever too young to be targeted by abusers.
If even babies in diapers are defiled, we all must be intentional about arming our children with information that will help them identify potential abusers and/or even report them.
IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN is not only for adults.
It is for children as well. It is a wholesome content for the entire family. It is an original musical that creatively treats a sensitive issue with a dash of hope while providing an opportunity for healing.
We live in a cruel world where many are becoming selfish by the day. Adults and children ought to be protected from abuse. The first step to insulate each other from abuse is to create an atmosphere where people can freely discuss their abuse without any fear or favour.
Our society must be an enabler of this discourse. Rape thrives most where it is least talked about. This play drives home the lesson that everybody in our society plays a role in enabling or disabling our rape culture.
To destroy it, thus, all hands must be on deck. If we could all shine our little light in our corners, the world would shine so brightly. A safe world for women is a safe world for humanity.
When we fight for victims of today, we fight for ourselves and posterity. We could be the victims of tomorrow. See you at IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN today and tomorrow at the National Theatre.
The writer is a Ghanaian playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com), an Accra-based writing firm. His new play, IN THE PANTS OF A WOMAN, is an original musical themed on rape showing next week Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, 2024 at National Theatre. Inquiries - 0546098082.