Inspired by the 1999 BBC Panorama documentary Murder in Purder (on honour killings in Pakistan) and the more recent terrorist attacks on the West, Jodi De Souza’s new play follows the lives of two young girls - Sana born in Boluchistan and Franchesca born in the UK - two very different places and two very different lives, but as Franchesca is to find out, it is just a matter of time before the stark contrasts become striking similarities.

An arresting production in a climate where there are many concerns regarding the threat of fundamentalist Islam in the UK, DENIED has an important significance in a crucial time - "When we look starkly at the demographic statistics, the wimpishness of our Establishment in the face of the threat, the perversions perpetrated by political correctness and our own passivity, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that within a couple of generations, Islam will be in control in Europe." (Daily Mail - 5th May 2007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But what would that Europe look like? And what exactly is Islam? A religion? A socio-economic system? What exactly is a Muslim? A true Muslim? Someone who takes the Koran literally or liberally? Indeed Franchesca has countless questions, as many of us do…but do we really get honest answers?

 

“In all my study, in all my reasoning, all my interviews and reporting, the answer that I have found lies at the end of the biggest question of all…will that same power that denied freedom to all those women in Boluchistan, that denied life to those 52 victims during the London terrorist attacks in 2005, the same power that continues to deny thousands all across our world, now deny me the right - here in the United Kingdom - to put on this play, and deny you the right to watch it?” (Franchesca – DENIED’s Protagonist)