This is a man's world

Description

Esther is trapped as a prostitute. Rich, powerful and ruthless Xerxes controls her and the entire city with endless crime and fear. Esther’s best friend Vash has just been found dead, and now Esther been arrested. With nowhere else to turn she contacts Xerxes who promises her that if she confesses to the murder he will get her out of prison and if she doesn’t, he will kill her. But Esther has a secret, she knows who the real killer was, she knows that Xerxes ordered Vash’s murder, and better still she has evidence. Entangled and entrenched in a violent, dark and cruel world where even the police are on Xerxes side, Esther is confronted with a life changing choice. Will she save herself, protect Xerxes and go back to a life she hates? Or can she risk everything to stand up for what’s right, break free and finally bring Xerxes to justice for what he’s done?

Biblical Connection

I have used the book of Esther as my inspiration for this piece. The story is might be set on modern day U.K. streets instead of ancient Persia, however I believe many of the themes and lessons to be learnt are still the same and this is why I chose it. To me the biblical Esther was an incredibly strong woman who, although the entirety of her situation was against her, risked everything in making the right choice however hard that was. The modern-day Esther in this piece is faced with the same choice, does she save herself and stay in the cycle of control and abuse, or does she grit her teeth and bravely risk her life to end the tangled web of corruption Xerxes holds the city in? The piece covers many difficult issues and themes such as; trust, control, drug use and addiction, sexism, organised criminal networks and centrally forced prostitution. Such issues need to be explored, considered and addressed because Esther’s story, is for many vulnerable men, women and children a reality they are trapped in just like her.