The Girls Are Alive, a monologue performance, explores gender-based violence (GBV), abuse, silence and trauma through the stories of several characters whose lives intersect. It examines the responsibility of friends, neighbours and family members to recognise warning signs and support people experiencing abuse.
Written and directed by Saumu Kombo, it was presented by Doqflix Production and producer Lyrn John at Suave Kitchen & Social Hall, Westlands, on August 16. It was accompanied by musical artist Gilda Amondi and poet Writefully Ochomo.
Maureen (Mwende Kingori) is a young, ambitious woman who works from home and is in an abusive relationship with Ken (Majestic Steve), her partner since their university days.
The performance opens with people reporting different cases to Gideon, a police officer (Majestic Steve). As he deals with the reports, he receives a call about Maureen, who has been thrown from a balcony by her partner after suffering abuse.
The call comes from the caretaker of Maureen's apartment, who has repeatedly reported what has been happening in the building. The neighbours come forward to discuss what they have witnessed.
Though Maureen has not openly spoken about the abuse, those around her can tell that something is wrong.
Kombo says that neighbours represent the people who witness abuse but choose not to intervene.
“The neighbours are you and I. We all know a friend, a relative, a neighbour or a co-worker in an abusive relationship. Most times we ‘stay out of it’ because ‘hio ni mambo ya watu wawili', Kombo says.
She asks audiences to consider what could happen if they reached out instead and perhaps let the survivors know that they don’t have to live the way they are living.
The play uses sound to differentiate between moments of happiness and scenes depicting abuse. At one point, Gideon silences the noise, and the crowd leaves the stage, creating space for Maureen's story.
Maureen and Ann, a medic, then take the stage, with Ann narrating parts of Maureen's experience through a flashback. Ann is portrayed as a compassionate healthcare worker whose concern for her patients extends beyond her professional training.
Maureen is brought to hospital by her partner after the incident, but she tells Ann that she fell, concealing the abuse she has endured.
Her abusive relationship with Ken dates back to their university days. While Maureen works from home and has wanted him to leave, he finds reasons to stay and perpetuate the violence.
The abuse leaves Maureen dealing with psychological trauma and fear. Her reluctance to speak about what is happening is also shaped by the shame, guilt and misconceptions surrounding GBV.
“Maureen struggles to speak about what she’s going through because of the myths and misconceptions people have about GBV. She also struggles because of the shame and guilt she is feeling,” Kingori says.
After Ann leaves her on stage, Maureen starts her monologue that reflects if she could have reported what was happening to her.
Gideon questions her about her experience and, in a flashback, also plays Ken as the violence inside the house is depicted. The staging places Maureen's vulnerability against the aggression of her abuser.
In another scene, Maureen encounters a woman and embraces her. The woman is her mother, a school principal who has learnt about her daughter's abuse from the caretaker.
Her mother recalls receiving a call from an unknown number. When the caller tries again, she answers and learns that Maureen has been rushed to hospital.
Maureen's story highlights the reality that abuse can happen in close relationships and that survivors may be abused by people they trust. The performance highlights that the violence is never the survivor's fault and that fear can make it difficult for victims to speak out or seek help.
Kingori says she was drawn to Maureen's character because of the story she represents.
“Honestly, what drew me to Maureen’s character was the story she was representing. I am a strong believer that all humans should be treated with tender love and care,” Kingori says.
She chose to play the role because she wanted to do justice to Maureen's story and ensure its message came through clearly: GBV is wrong.
She approached the monologue with openness and focus, paying attention to each line because of the weight of Maureen's story.
Kombo wrote The Girls Are Alive as five monologues telling one story from different perspectives.
“I wanted to challenge myself to write five monologues about one story, but told from different perspectives. The themes of femicide and GBV are many in Kenya and globally,” she says.
The title The Girls Are Alive is intended as a prayer and a wish that people will do what they can, in their different capacities, to protect women.
“I have been in close proximity with women who have gone through abuse. I have seen what it does to a person and to their life. I felt compelled to write the monologues as an outlet and also to give a voice to those who are still in abusive relationships,” Kombo says.
She was inspired by real-life stories featured in documentaries and news reports, as well as stories shared by friends and her own experiences of witnessing abuse affect people close to her. Using several characters allowed her to examine the issue from different perspectives.
“I was inspired by real-life stories from documentaries, news articles, stories from close friends who had experienced the same, and my own point of view as someone who had seen this happening to friends and family,” she says.
Kombo says that Gideon represents a dialogue table where all parties bring their grievances. He is also a mirror held up to us, calling out our nonchalance and tendency to only act when it’s too late.
The character also highlights the slow pace of justice and how abusers can sometimes be enabled.
Through the interconnected monologues, the play dives into how abuse can be hidden in plain sight and how silence, fear and social attitudes can allow it to continue.
Kingori says that Maureen's story is a call to recognise that survivors need support rather than judgement.
The play challenges the idea that domestic abuse is a private matter and encourages people to speak up, seek help and become safe spaces for those experiencing violence.
“It is something that has been said for so long, and we are trying to echo it a bit more. We are talking about gender-based violence, but we should not just stay there. You can talk about it and ask for help,” Kombo says.
She hopes that audiences leave the performance questioning how they respond when they encounter abuse.
“I want people to understand that abuse has been normalised, to see through the desensitisation and sit with the discomfort of seeing lives lost when something could have been done,” she says.
She acknowledges that audiences may interpret the story differently but hopes that people should not turn a blind eye to abuse.
“I want people to stop turning a blind eye when they encounter incidents of abuse. Reach out to that one person they know is going through this, and be a safe space and support system to people they know who are trying to get out of an abusive relationship,” she says.
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