By Sarah Walker
20 November 2024
Open Clasp Theatre Company takes Sex Work film on tour and online, during 16 days of Activism on violence against women and girls (November 25 to December 10)
“Sex work is work!” declares one of the characters in Mycelial, a filmed play from Newcastle-based Open Clasp Theatre Company, which challenges perceptions of people involved in sex work.
The film is opening up an international conversation about how sex work – and more importantly sex workers – should be treated, during 16 days of Activism on violence against women and girls, which runs from November 25 to December 10.
It is available to watch online from November 25, The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 17th December, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
Mycelial challenges stigma and misconceptions through characters who we naturally warm to, and whose strength, defiance and vulnerability we feel.
The sex workers portrayed in the play come from the North East of England, Ireland North and South and Aotearoa/New Zealand.
All face their own unique struggles, stigma and financial and emotional hardship, even though sex work is treated differently in legal terms by all their respective country’s leaders.
The play was co-created with sex worker activists and portrays trans women of colour, lesbian, queer, straight and intersex people.
Carly McConnell, senior creative producer at Open Clasp, said: “Open Clasp has been going for 26 years, as a feminist theatre company and we are proud to have been able to work within the region, nationally and internationally, to support the discussion around sex work.
“In 2016, the North East Sex Work Forum asked us to run a workshop and while doing the workshop, it became really clear there were a lot of questions about the laws around sex work.
“At Open Clasp, we always put women and people front and centre to tell their stories and what they believe needs to change.”
What came out of the workshop was a new project – a new piece of theatre reflecting the diverse lives of sex workers globally.
Now, as the film version of the play tours the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, interesting panel discussions are taking place about how sex workers can be better supported.
During one such discussion, Gaynor Trueman, Chair of the North East Sex Work Forum highlighted the “spectrum of experience” of sex workers as “everyone’s case is individual”.
The North East Sex Work Forum campaigns for decriminalisation and supports other organisations in their fight – pushing against the Nordic model, where street sex work is illegal and the men who pay for sex are criminalised – which research shows makes the sex workers involved more vulnerable to abuse, violence and discrimination. (1)
However, Gaynor added when we talk about sex workers, “These are really strong, powerful women”.
“We should listen to them,” she urged.
“They will tell you what they want. They are not necessarily vulnerable – they might just want to crack on doing what they are doing safely.”
Post-show discussion panels have also explored the history and context of the ‘criminalisation of the purchase of sex’ or the Nordic model, the “whorearchy” and legalisation, like what we see in Amsterdam.
Catrina McHugh, MBE, who wrote Mycelial, is a political activist who uses the arts to make social change happen.
She says: “The Big Issue decriminalised people who were homeless – taking the criminality out of poverty.
“Sex workers and the homeless shouldn’t be excluded from society – they should not be open to violence or put in jail.”
Catrina believes what the team at Open Clasp Theatre company are doing with Mycelial is groundbreaking, as it uses the arts to create a creative space where people can come together to talk about sex work.
“There was such a toxic atmosphere around the decriminalisation and the Nordic model and we thought ‘can we make a play?’ and ‘would this help to make this space for discussion?’”
Mycelial does just that, at the same time as exploring money-making, land borders, gender stereotypes, transgender rights – and even climate change – through the eyes of sex workers.
The touring film version of the play is timely, given that Open Clasp Theatre Company will be involved in the 16 Days of Activism, aimed at ending violence against women and girls, which runs from November 25 to December 10.
As part of the campaign, the theatre company hopes it can attract as many people as possible to watch the film version of Mycelial online.
The company is also hosting a screening of Mycelial at its home in the West End Women and Girls Centre in Newcastle on December 10 and 11.
Catrina is now in Aotearoa/New Zealand for screenings in Wellington and Auckland. Here, sex work has been decriminalised since 2003 and it is legal for any citizen over 18 years old to sell sexual services, whether based on the streets or in a brothel.
However, Catrina says sex workers in Aotearoa/New Zealand still face a high degree of stigma, despite their rights being protected through employment and human rights legislation.
“It’s a real privilege for me to be able to go over and stand alongside the Aotearoa/New Zealand Sex Workers’ Collective – the first time the co-creators will be seeing it in all its glory,” said Catrina.
“The film has been four years in the making and our co-creators have put their trust in us to make this theatrical piece for film.
“I hope that it will continue to change worlds for years to come as that’s the beauty of the work – it’s serving a purpose and supporting the conversation in England, Ireland, New Zealand and beyond.”
Mycelial is available to watch ONLINE from 25th November, The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 17th December, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
To book a ticket to watch online, including for workplace training, visit https://openclasp.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/mycelial_film
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