By Laura Kressly

The #MeToo movement has proved that male-on-female abuse and assault is far reaching, both in and out of the arts. This year there about 30 shows at the fringe that respond to the movement, and often tell first-hand stories of assault and abuse. 

dressed. is one of these, and is already racking up awards and nominations for it’s content and form. The spirited show created by four young women stitches together a non-narrative experience of trauma and PTSD one of them endured when she was younger. Threads of recovery provide a reassuring sense of hope and encouragement to those working through their own traumas. 

Lydia Higgenson, part of ThisEgg, was stripped at gunpoint during a robbery. This changed her relationship with her body, and how she presents herself to the world. After the attack, the seamstress and clothing designer shut herself in her parents’ attic and made costumes for a show that didn’t yet exist.

They are showcased in this celebration of self-expression through clothing and art. Movement, song and quietly-delivered text starkly sharing her story contrast the cheerful ensemble work. These women, like all women, are fighters. They are strong and they heal after the patriarchy inflicts damage on them, and we can do that, too. 

Dressed. Runs though 26 August.

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