★★★★ “A dark and vivid nightmare founded on human fragility” – The Argus
“Excels at creating an increasing chaos” – Exeunt Magazine
“A psychosis circus full of laughs” – Disability Arts Online
“A new avenue in the dialogue between mental health and theatre” – The Metropolist
THE PLAY/
Playwright and performance poet Karis Halsall (MEGAPOLITAN, Little Stitches) joins forces with ‘All in’ director Stephen Sobal (Love Sick, Treading Water) to bring you the VAULT previews of HYSTERICAL. Set between a frantic advertising agency and an inpatient facility; June, a virgin clown and her associates attempt to rebrand water, wellness and ‘madness’ and Madonna. Co-produced by HOAX (AUS/CAN/UK) and Luminary Theatre (UK) in collaboration with UCL.
Drawing on the creative teams’ experiences and developed in collaboration with academics and clinicians at UCL, Halsall’s new play examines how gender and modern day pressures can militate on our mental health.
PERFORMANCES/
3 – 7 February, 2016 @ 7:15pm, Vault Festival, London
14-15 May, 2016 @ 4pm, Brighton Fringe @ The Warren Main Stage
May 18-20, 2016 @ Stories of Being Festival, Platform, Southwark
CREATIVE TEAM/
Writer/ Karis E. Halsall
Director/ Stephen Sobal
Puppetry Direction/ Mikey Brett, Caroline Bowman & Charlotte Quartermaine (The Rainbow Collectors)
Cast/ Sarah Fraser (June) , Fionnula Kennedy (Mercedes) , Alice Trow (Catherine), Kristin Blakstad (Mary, Nurse Mary, Puppetry), Cameron Harle/ Sam Adamson (Kris, Puppetry), Flavia Bertram (Lion, Puppetry)
Design/ Flavia Bertram & Avninder S. Nanray
Sound Design/ Lawrence Kendrick
Stage Manager/ Cassandra Fumi
Creative Production/ Karis E Halsall, Ayesha Tansey, Sarah Fraser, Flavia Bertram
PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH/
Luminary Theatre (Co-producers)/ Platform Southwark/ The Rainbow Collectors/ University College London
OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT/
With academics at University College London, we developed an outreach program alongside the play which included panel discussions and community workshops involving mental health professionals.
“Ever since I left the Hysterical R&D Workshop I have been seeing the world with a new perspective.” – November Workshop Participant
