Amateur performers have a serious message

Eleven Northeast Valley women are ready to play their part tomorrow to end violence against women. The Vagina Monologues co-director and co-producer Emily Duncan said only amateur actors were allowed to perform in plays put on as part of a global movement called One Billion Rising.

Director and producer Clare Adams said the one billion figure signified the one in three women on Earth who were raped or beaten in their lifetimes and also the one billion women and men the movement was asking to rise on February 14 to end the violence.

The One Billion Rising movement made many scripts available to raise funds and all proceeds from ticket sales would be given to Dunedin Collaboration Against Family Violence, Ms Adams said.

Performer Marion O'Kane said the performers knew each other through Northern Artery, a Northeast Valley group that celebrated the vitality and diversity in the valley, which was helpful because the script was ''quite full-on'' and confrontational.

Ms Duncan said the seriousness in the script was balanced with comedy.

''It's not all doom and gloom and really grim. There's some light, laugh-out-loud moments.''