Education and training in mental wellness takes many forms, one of which is now taking place on the stage. A new project at the Blue Elephant Theatre at Camberwell, London, does what theatre does best; inclusivity and support from vulnerable sections of the community. In an unusual collaboration between Blue Elephant Theatre’s Participation Department and Crossways Mental Health Day Centre, which has received funding from Time To Change, the innovative B-Scene project is using the grant to establish conversations with others in the local area. The subject: mental health.
Time to Change is our country’s mental health anti-stigma programme run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and funded by the Department of Health and Comic Relief. Clients of Crossways, members of the general public, actors and students came together at The Bussey Building in Peckham for an induction to the B-Scene project, before it kicked off last August. Thanks to the rehearsal process of two hours every week on a Tuesday at Bussey Buildings, the company has bonded well.
Jen Camillin from Blue Elephant Theatre is the project manager and director, but B-Scene is led by people facing mental health challenges. The aim of the project is to bring people who don’t have “lived experience” of mental health issues into social contact with those who do. According to research, this is one of the most effective ways of breaking down barriers of stigma and discrimination. Each member of the company brings their own experiences and skills, and the group itself is a diverse and dynamic mixture.
Camillin explains that the the rehearsal process went through a number of different stages – including a scratch pilot performance in March in which members of the audience had the chance to give feedback through meaningful conversation and filmed “vox pops”. However, the most significant thing to come out of the project is a play which will be performed at the end of this month.
With the help of script writer Dominic McHale and set designer Alice Hoult, the group has created the play Ssshh!. The drama tackles the issue of mental health stigma, and how it affects your wellbeing, in a sensitive and thought-provoking manner. The play is set in a public library and dips in and out of the real and delusional world of the characters’ imaginations, giving the audience an insight into what it feels like to live with mental health challenges. To reserve your free tickets, call 02077010100 or email info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk.