West End director David Thacker has dived into the complexities and stigmas surrounding domestic abuse in a new work created solely from true words of survivors and approved by a women’s refuge in Bolton. MM went behind the scenes with Thacker and the cast to unpack the process.
One of many remarkable scenes in David Thacker’s new play, ‘That Can’t Have Happened!’, revealed how a courageous 11-year-old boy stood up to a grown man who struck his mother. The woman had already escaped from an abusive relationship with the child’s father years prior, when the boy was a toddler. This was a brand new relationship, and the first time her son was old enough to understand what he had witnessed. His innocence and bravery was what immediately stopped the woman from repeating a dangerous cycle.
This heartbreaking scene was what moved one attendee the most – and every word spoken was true of what had actually happened to a woman and her child in real life.
‘That Can’t Have Happened!’ gives detailed accounts of real scenarios that women have endured. Such circumstances are alarmingly common, and the play’s intimate setting allowed the audience to connect with the characters in a unique and personal way.
The idea was facilitated by Bolton charity Fortalice, which offers support to women and children facing domestic violence. The production commemorates its 45th year of service to the North West.
The show went live at the Kings Arms in Salford earlier this month, and is surprisingly heart-warming. The public’s response suggests that Fortalice agreed to turn the transcripts of real conversations into staged entertainment for all the right reasons.
Thacker held one-to-one meetings with five women who had escaped from life-threatening situations. It was crucial that these women were now in a stable state, and were willing to share their stories via Fortalice.
After a slow and meticulous process of transcribing each conversation word for word, Thacker deduced a narrative and selected his cast.
“It was a case of finding actors with technical skill, ability and empathy. You can see just from watching how much this churns the actors up, none of it is fake,” he said.
“In essence, you need five brilliant actors with enormous courage because this is very scary for lots of reasons,” Thacker added.
Fortalice’s Chief Executive Gill Smallwood worked in education for 28 years before one of her students became the victim of a domestic homicide.
Smallwood said: “I think that sparked something inside me to say I want to go and make a difference. The work is life-saving. I often think that people don’t realise just how important this work is.
“We’ve got a refuge with 22 flats in there that is wrapped in love, care and nurture because that’s the key of our organisation. We’re about empowering and helping people regain their lives.”
Verbatim theatre
Verbatim theatre helps an audience understand complex social issues by calling attention to the perspectives of victims. Thacker was one of its early exponents, having used the framework for his 1979 production ‘A Rose Between Two Thorns’ at The Dukes Playhouse in Lancaster. He used verbatim scripts again for ‘The Enemies Within’ – a play about the 1984 mining industry dispute – while working as the artistic director of London’s Young Vic Theatre.
Thacker said: “Ron Rose (playwright) approached me saying he’d like to do a verbatim show based on the strike. The actors and I stayed in Barnburgh Village for two weeks interviewing miners from Yorkshire.
“What struck me immediately was the language of real speech. However skilled you are as a writer, it’s not the same as when people use their own words. Of course you have to edit it.
“Margaret Thatcher called the miners the enemy within. It was a massive strike of the entire industry for over a year. The 40th anniversary just finished.”
Thacker repeated the show in 2009 at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, and again in 2016 at the Labour Party’s annual arts conference, ‘The World Transformed’.
He said: “We’ve done it a couple of other places too. There was an occupation called Grow Heathrow. People living there formed a community dedicated to stop the third runway. They asked us to do it there.
It was received incredibly powerfully. People engaged so much.”
The team held an ‘investigate day’ for ‘That Can’t Have Happened!’ – a tradition of Thacker’s whereby members of the public learn about the play before watching it. Attendees arrive for a morning session, have lunch, and then watch the 2.30pm matinée. The day concludes with an open discussion so the audience can share their impressions.
Thacker said: “Most people stay the whole day and they love it. I often get the actors involved.
“It’s such an interesting mixture because I’m operating as an artist. This is theatre. But like all good theatre, it should be changing people’s perspective. And making people understand what it’s like to be another human being. People absolutely need to understand what is happening to so many women and try to understand why it’s happening.”
Every city needs a Fortalice
Retired trade union lecturer Dave Jones, 72, attended the investigation day. He met his wife through his trade union work and they regularly attend plays together.
Jones said: “It’s important to give people the confidence to come forward. There are places to go, there is help to be had. As far as men are concerned, hopefully it will raise awareness that their behaviour, whether it’s physical abuse or controlling behaviours, are unacceptable.”
Popular Netflix drama Adolescence depicts a 13-year-old boy as an abuser and has captivated viewers worldwide. It demonstrates how early coercive control can start, and how it can be challenging to rectify. The show’s success also indicates that people from a variety of backgrounds are interested in this topic.
Actor Flo Wilson said: “Some women get through it but some don’t make it. In this society women and girls are not a priority. We’ve got to change that. I have no idea how it’s going to happen, other than things like [Thacker’s play]. This is a drop in the ocean but at least it’s a drop.”
‘That Can’t Have Happened!’ ran from 19 to 23 March 2025. Although the show is now over, Thacker has indicated that he is interested in building the concept further.
During discussions with Thacker, his team, Fortalice and the public, it was stated on several occasions that more support is urgently required. Multiple people suggested that the next steps should involve educating young people, particularly young boys, about domestic violence via the school system.
It has since been reported that primary and secondary schools will provide ‘anti-misogyny’ classes to help young boys navigate difficult emotions. Additionally, Keir Starmer has supported a campaign for Adolescence to be shown in schools.
Thacker has advised that, with the right support, his play could be adapted to facilitate viewings in British schools too.
Help is available 24/7 via the UK’s National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 0808 2000 247
Fortalice also offers 24-hour support. Learn more here.
All images by Rising Moon Productions
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