Far From Fiction at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre

Far From Fiction is a powerful new drama about the perverse use of the female body, including self-cutting, eating disorders and dangerous sexual behaviours. It addresses the topic of the struggles many women have in relation to their female bodies and their sexuality.

With this play Sally Willis has developed a new method of theatre she calls Theatre of the Shared Unconscious. With this method she aims to show, through the fast-moving juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy, and the exploration of the fine line between sanity and madness, the complex inner workings of the human mind, both individual and collective.

The photos and videos show scenes from performances at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London, in April 2016. This was part of the ongoing development phase of this new play.

Unravelled; a scene from Far From Fiction by Sally Willis

Unravelled; a scene from Far From Fiction by Sally Willis at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre, April 2016
A pattern of raised crisscrossed scars, some old and white, others more recent in various shades of pink and red. Exposing the stress of the structure underneath its paint
Amy Efaw, After
Self-harm – the world will come at you with knives anyway. You do not need to beat them to it
Caitlin Moran, How to Build a Girl
“I cut myself because you wouldn’t let me cry.
I cried because you wouldn’t let me speak.
I spoke because you wouldn’t let me shine.
I shone because I thought you loved me…”
(Emilie Autumn, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girl)

Does this count as love?; a scene from Far From Fiction by Sally Willis

Does this count as love?; a scene from Far From Fiction by Sally Willis at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre, April 2016

What people say

“Unbelievable performance. Play was fresh, original and interesting. Loved the last scene!”

Chris Browne

“Great play…  funny,  brutally honest,  amazing acting, deeply touching performance.”

Hannah Mueller

“A difficult subject was tackled with skill and showed an extraordinary depth of knowledge and sensitivity. Sally Willis displays extraordinary writing skills… one of those rare plays that opens up many avenues of thought and conversation.”

Vivienne Twistleson

“There is something very powerful in the ending of the play which reminds one of the power and tragedy of King Lear’s madness on the blasted Heath.”

Vanessa-Faye

“Writing is superb! The play is not two ‘case studies’ put on stage: Suzie and Dot came to life as characters in their own right, far removed from the consulting room, and to put them together in a confined space at an equal level was a brilliantly creative idea. It’s a courageous play – no sense of being bound by ‘professional’ restraints. The intergenerational humour made for humanity, compassion, and hope, but did not obscure the pain and the tragedy of these lives.”

Maurice Xiberras

“The ‘knitting together’ of two lives and their search for mummy’s love – one at the age of 19, the other at 69, is a provocative piece of art and creation that challenges current thinking about what determines self, women, their sexuality, mothers and psychiatry.”

Sabine Kurjo

“- funny, thoughtful… a real tour-de-force;”

Donald Minchew

“Turning her life into the fictional drama of being incarcerated with a young inmate, Sally Willis not only wrote a powerful script, but also acted truly dramatically.”

Sabine Kurjo