burden of proof is a response to the collective responsibility we all share. I feel responsible for these accounts as they emerge from secrecy to the stage. It is important to know that these accounts that are being told today are reflections of a journey that we can never fully comprehend as a spectator. Each piece holds a different perspective but similar vulnerabilities and we as friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances must make an effort to recognise what these are, and when they are out of line. I urge you to listen, to watch, to feel, and to question yourself and the community around you. 

Charity Yong; Co-director & Co-writer

burden of proof is a testament that if you choose to share your story, someone will listen. It is a bold and delicate exploration into the shadows of one’s lived experiences through something that should never, ever happen to them. By voicing out one’s past, one may find solace in the transformative power of storytelling through camaraderie. It is not a play or a collection of stories by any means. Rather, it is a journey of 2.5 years in the making, where the heart that once welcomed only fear, shame, guilt, and anger now beats with fervour for justice, healing, and change. 

Through different narratives, we seek to peel back the testimonies of those who were once too scared to speak out due to the abuse of power and the neglectfulness of the authorities around them. All of these inspired stories are real, and we ask that you fully embrace the complexities of their emotions; for the words you are about to hear were once whispers in the darkness but now echoes of the human heart that are ready to speak out. 

Some may be raw and gritty - face them. 

Some may be dramatised and foreign -  explore them. 

Some may break your heart - accept them. 

Now, it’s time to do something about them. 

Ysabel Loh; Co-director, Co-writer & Actor