The ongoing campus conversation regarding healthy relationships, consent, and sexual violence will take to the stage with an interactive performance by a visiting theatre group.

Far from the Heart is an award-winning educational program by Sheatre, which utilizes a live forum format to engage and educate the audience on different forms of pressure and violence in dating relationships.

Having seen the performance previously, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Coordinator, Barbara Lotan, believes it is a good fit for the Queen’s community.

At first, the play is performed without interaction. The actors then perform once again but this time the audience is able to intervene and change the direction of the play as it goes along. This is where the education comes in.

“The bystander intervention aspect is really interesting as it allows us to see the ways that you can influence outcomes without it being a great big conflict or big deal,” Lotan says about the performance. “The play is practical and it shows the issues around healthy relationships and violence, consent and all those pieces in a very human way. It’s not an abstract conversation about what consent is. Some of the violence in dating relationships or sexual violence happens without witnesses. This gives an opportunity for people to change things that they normally wouldn’t get to see.”

As Lotan explains, audience members are able to intervene when they see something going wrong, whether it is some subtle language or behavior or action that is obviously not okay. At that point, an audience member can yell ‘stop’ and change the script.

“There is an opportunity to intervene in those instances when someone uses the wrong language or the wrong tone with someone,” she says. “Then there are places where things are more obvious but we don’t know how to manage it. This is a really nice place to practice those skills and to show other people that we can all actually do it.”

The strength of the play, Lotan points out, is that it is an interactive and visual way to address the issues.

“It’s really practical skill building and modelling, “she says. “I’ve seen this sort of social justice theatre in a variety of ways and it’s pretty neat to see it unfold. It’s one of those things where it could be really transformative for people.”

Far From the Heart will be performed on Friday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. at the Isabel Bader Performing Arts Centre. The performance is free but space is limited. Reservations are required and can be made online at Eventbrite.

The performance will be followed by a short facilitated discussion.

Support for the performance has been provided by Adair Reddish and Julie Salverson of the Dan School of Drama and Music as well as other campus partners, including Health Promotion, the Sexual Health Resource Centre (SHRC), and the Peer Support Centre. The Sexual Assault Centre Kingston has also been involved in the organization of this event.  Financial support has been provided by the Human Rights and Equity Office.