Lived Experience | The Hal Company

Feedback From the Operations Manager St Giles London. April 5th 2026

Hi I hope you are doing ok. I just wanted to say how amazing the performance was last night, the women, staff and actors all did an absolutely awesome job, and I believe that the audience were visibly moved by the stories and the performances. I have had some great feedback today from some of the St Giles staff that attended. They are also all asking for a production to be put on in their areas, hopefully we can work again together in the near future across the UK. What a wonderful collaboration between the Hal Company and St Giles Trust. I will be writing to the CEO, Tracy Burley to express my positive experience directly. Many thanks for all your energy, commitment, and motivation to ensure this event went ahead. Best wishes and kind regards M.T. Operations Manager St Giles. Justice

Audience Feedback:

As a 70 year old white male, I feel that I have distanced myself from other people’s problems where I could have engaged with humanity. I wished I had engaged more with other people’s problems not just my own and intend to now!
It was brilliant. I’d love my group to tell their stories.
It was amazing, but I wished I had a trigger warning in the publicity because it took me back to my own childhood abuse that I received from my childhood. I was uncomfortable but glad I came.
A powerful evening, I couldn’t believe some of the stories but I know they’re real. A real eye opener.
I loved the Q and A after with the women. Very moving and very real. A powerful evening.

Feedback from the Participants in Writing Workshops:

I thought I’d do it as it was something different. At the beginning it was difficult, my brain felt fried after every session. At one point I didn’t think I could do it, I didn’t like revisiting the hard times but I kept going. By the end, I thought it was brilliant, a brilliant experience and the outcome was better than expected. Seeing your story on stage was amazing. I want to do it again.

I thought I’d give it one week but I’m so glad I stuck with it. It was sweet, quality, delightful. It took a forty year weight off my shoulders, stuff I ‘d never told no-one before. I’d do it again and I want act in it. It was quality, the music at the end of my piece was quality.

At first I thought I wasn’t going to write anything. I had no ideas what to expect. I came with an open mind and an open heart and after the first 3 session I wasn’t sure we would get a show but by week 4 I could see the beginnings of something good. It was a very emotional journey it took me back not only to my story but to my passion for live performance. I hoped that the quality would be there and worried that it may not be but I needn’t have worried, it was great. The weeks we spent in the writing workshops were inspiring, confidence building and I found confidence in the process and the people that delivered it. 100 percent glad I did it.

From the experience and opportunity working with you guys I have further increased my belief that my lived experience is a strength, not a weakness and seeing the play has encouraged me to validate my lived experience, instead of brush it off and downplay it. I believe the course works well for those who have trauma and feel like they have but not had the confidence to share it. The course would work for such a diverse group of people, service providers and service users. different races, genders, even classes (poor, rich and working class), it could really shape people's perspectives. It has been amazing working with you guys and will be advocating for our two services to work together again in the future. Thank you. L.C.R.