False Tongues Performance

Using digital storytelling, alongside the ephemeral movement of four women, Britt Fishel and Artists will share narrative pathways of the women accused of witchcraft in Salem, in 1692.

False Tongues focuses around the women accused and their peril, while navigating their place as scapegoats within their community.The accusations primarily targeted women from various backgrounds, including marginalized members of society such as widows, women of lower social standing, and those who did not conform to Puritan norms. Many women were accused based on hearsay, rumors, and spectral evidence.

The trials resulted in the execution of 20 people, most of whom were women.

During the rehearsal process, Britt Fishel and Artists went deep into the history, studying the emotional climate and parameters that led to these events, which included a trip to Salem, where the artists visited the witch museums and memorial sites, to deepen the research further.

Through performance, we hope to share truth where there are misconceptions, find empathy though lived experiences, and examine a cautionary tale of mass hysteria, the dangers of superstition, and the consequences of societal paranoia. We hope you will join us for this very timely performance!