Dance performance brings challenges around HIV stigma to Albury Wodonga

A new production of Devize Co’s STIGMA, written by Darren Vizer, is on its way to the Butter Factory Theatre in Wodonga.

STIGMA is a dynamic performance, incorporating theatre, dance and physical encounters. The piece examines the prejudices, discrimination and stigma experienced by people living with HIV. STIGMA draws inspiration from Darren’s own experiences as well as a diverse range of stories from people in the broader community who live with HIV.

Cast member, Karima (pictured), portrays the lived experiences of three different women who are living with HIV, all of whom came into contact with the virus under different circumstances, showing how universal and non-discriminatory HIV is.

In researching her role, Karima came face to face with the ignorance, discrimination and every day struggles that people living with HIV experience on a day to day basis. Karima hopes that audiences will learn acceptance from this performance. Her hopes are that people will look at themselves from another perspective, from the point of view of someone living with HIV, and to see these everyday struggles from their point of view.

The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health (CERSH) has partnered with Devize Co to bring STIGMA to Albury Wodonga, with the aim to strengthen community engagement and collaborative partnerships to reduce stigma associated with sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs) and promote better access to testing in rural and regional areas.

STIGMA will be performed for one night only at the Hume Bank Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga on Saturday 8 December, 2018 at 7.30pm. The performance will be followed by a Q&A panel session with Darren and cast, as well as representatives of the regional Victorian HIV community and clinical experts from the Albury Wodonga region and across Victoria.

Tickets are $15 from seatadvisor