About the Book:

HARD TO FIND BOOK, only a very limited number of copies are still available.

Creating and Presenting a Woman-Centred Drama About Surviving Sexual Abuse and Assault

In this book, accomplished theatre professional Deborah Hurford turns her talents to the written form as she chronicles the development of the celebrated production Running Through The Devil's Club and its tour through prisons, women's centres and communities throughout Western Canada.

The Devil's Club, a women's theatre group, presented its plays, which addressed issues related to sexual abuse and assault, to victims of sexual assault, sexual assault offenders (often in prisons) and community groups. Local specialists such as correctional officers, social workers and psychologists were invited to the plays, which were followed by interactive discussions between performers and audience members. According to Hurford, the tour changed many lives, both for the performers — some of whom had been victims of sexual abuse — and the audience members.

The foreword by Jan Selman puts the play into perspective with a brief discussion of the history of popular theatre in both the Canadian and global context.

Includes the complete original playscript.

What people say:

"It is a remarkable and touching story on the long-term costs on humanity that results from sexual abuse. It shows how drama can be a great tool for healing and education. You can always tell people information about difficult issues, but you don't necessarily see behavioral changes in people until you add the emotional element." — Jan Selman, Chair of the University of Alberta Department of Drama

About the Author:

Deborah Hurford: is an award-winning author, actor, director, producer and scholar. She has a long history of producing art and developing policies to help both victims and perpetrators of crime deal with their experiences.