A play about domestic violence is prompting people to share their own stories of abuse.
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Dubbo sisters Edwina and Millie Samuels' performance is about two women caught in a cycle of abuse. Off stage, audience members have started sharing their own stories.
Millie said it was one of the reasons they had wanted to bring Dolores to the stage. She said they had spoken to audience members who were everything from trauma counsellors to miners about their experiences with domestic violence.
"We really hope people walk out realising how important it is to support and listen to one another no matter how uncomfortable the situation may be. It is easy to turn a blind eye or smooth over our problems rather than addressing them head on; we are all guilty of this," she said.
"However, if we equip our community with the knowledge of the early signs and the many forms of abuse and educate them in how to safely intervene we could put an end to a lot of tragedy."
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Millie said while we hear all the time about the high rate of domestic violence, it's often forgotten the victims are someone's mother, sister or aunt.
The play tells the story of sisters Sandra and Dolores.
Millie said it was a fly-on-the-wall experience for the audience and something anyone with siblings could relate to.
"They witness a very private conversation between two sisters about issues they have never spoken openly about. Seeing this conversation unfold in real time has had a huge impact on the audience especially when performed in small, intimate spaces," she said.
Audiences can expect as many laughs as they can tears.
Dolores will be in Dubbo on March 22, 23 and 24 at the Western Plains Cultural Centre. Tickets can be purchased through the website www.samproductions.org.
Millie said she and Edwina had always admired artists who came back to Dubbo to share their stories and creative products.
Ten per cent of ticket sales for the play will go to White Ribbon.