And What Will People Say?
Previously Behind Closed Doors: A powerful fusion of Indian dance, music and spoken work - confronting domestic violence with raw honesty, cultural depth, and the courage to discuss uncomfortable truths.“Loved all of it! Beautiful and wonderfully artistic. Dark themes but a celebration of our culture.”
– Audience Review
ABOUT THE SHOW
What happens when silence is survival—but speaking out is freedom?
And What Will People Say? is an electrifying 60-minute immersive theatre experience that blends Indian dance, original music, and spoken word to explore the unspoken realities of domestic violence within families and communities. Told through the eyes of a mother and her children, this powerful piece invites audiences into a deeply personal journey of love, fear, shame, and resilience.
Rooted in real experiences and shaped by the voices too often left out of the conversation, the production challenges cultural stigma and generational silence. It exposes the hidden stories that echo behind closed doors, those shaped not only by violence itself, but by the social pressures that keep people quiet. It is a story of pain but also of courage, hope, and radical truth-telling.
Combining traditional storytelling with a bold contemporary narrative, this show is a call to listen and a call to act. Through immersive staging, live performance, and a hauntingly beautiful original score, audiences are not just spectators, they are witnesses.
Whether you’ve lived this story, know someone who has, or are just beginning to understand the complexities of domestic violence, And What Will People Say? offers a space for reflection, recognition, and connection.
This is more than theatre. This is a conversation our communities need to have. And it starts here.
Content Note: This production contains references to domestic violence.
Community centric approach
What makes And What Will People Say? unique is the community centric approach we take to opening up conversations to around domestic violence.
- We prioritise safety with considered language and access to immediate help and counselling at all of our shows
- We prioritise inclusivity by designing and adapting our approach to work with community and cultural values, rather than against them
- We focus on the autonomy and agency of victims and survivors by using real stories, but told in a way of their choosing
- We close all of our shows with chai, sweets and a chance to chat before heading home. We find 60+% of our audience stay behind.
Profits donated to aligned Charity
The production plays two fundamental roles in alleviating domestic violence in Australia. Firstly it is a primary intervention measure and secondly it raises money for our major partner, the Indian subcontinent Crisis Association (ICSA) – a proven and crucial community service that uses culturally appropriate and inclusive practices to support families dealing with domestic and family violence.
We have donated $15,000 to our partner organisation Indian Sub continent and Crisis Support Agency who specifically work in this “grey” space in the Domestic Violence sector. For each show we donate a minimum of 10% of our profits to support to hard work of our first responders.
Reviews
“It’s a performance that has a genuine capacity to influence change within South Asian communities and public debate more broadly”
Khushaal Vyas
May 16, 2022, SAARI Collective
“And What Will People Say? is told with compassion and deep consideration.”
September 2025, Bacchus at the Theatre
“The narratives themselves are superbly written, replete with detail that makes us see the moment and feel the pain.”
Paul Gilchrist
September 19, 2025, Theatre Red
Outcomes to date
In addition to winning “Best in Category – Spoken Word” and “Best Emerging Producer” at Sydney Fringe Festival 2025, we also received the following feedback from our post show surveys in 2022:
- Do you feel BCD achieved its objective of removing the stigma around talking about domestic violence in the South Asian community? 91%
- Do you have a better understanding about the nuances of domestic violence within the South Asian community? 84%
- Do you feel more informed about where to recommend culturally appropriate support for anyone experiencing DV within the South Asian community? 81%
We are Tour Ready!
Over the past three years, we’ve performed everywhere from intimate council halls to full theatre venues.
Each season is completely self-produced, profitable, and grounded in care. Every artist is fairly remunerated, a portion of profits is donated to domestic violence support services, and audiences consistently leave moved, reflective, and inspired.
We tour light with 4–5 artists, a rug, and a lectern.
If you’d like to bring this powerful, conversation-starting work to your community, venue, or festival, we’d love to hear from you.