Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in someone else's head? No, let me rephrase that. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in the head of someone suffering from a psychotic episode? In one of the most compelling and captivating pieces of theatre I have ever seen, 'The Eradication of Schizophrenia from Western LapLand' manages to conjure this experience for the audience with a feast of impressive dialogue, movement and character techniques.
On entering the performance space, issues suggested by the title are instantly brought to mind as the performance space is split in half, with audience members facing each other. The basic set consisting of a wall of windows with a central door acts a room divider.
When the action starts, you soon realise that you have signed up to a bizarre two-for-one-performance-offer. Audience members are engaged in the immediate action that they can see on 'their side', while simultaneously being aware that the 'other side' is being performed an entirely different show. This creates an unnerving and frustrating feeling as you are torn between focusing on the dialogue you can see, while constantly questioning what you are missing out on (especially when you can see the opposite audience member's faces light up at a joke that you missed).
However, the performance effectively ties the two sides together through dialogue, sound, connected reactions and clever uses of timing. On both sides you are aware that the plot concerns characters hearing voices, but it never is quite clear who is in the 'unwell' role. Characters cross-over sides, engaging in both dialogues, keeping the show quick-paced and intelligent. As time goes on, barriers are continually broken down as the two sides increasingly interlink while dividing curtains are ripped down to fully expose the opposite goings-on.
At half time, audience members are asked to switch sides while the set is quickly put back together. When the second half begins you are relieved to finally be 'let in' on the action of the 'other side' that you previously missed out on. I did find my mind wandering at times as I tried to work out if we were seeing exactly the same script as in the first half. The only other drawback for me was the slightly out of context dancing that takes place at the end, but it did conjure a sense of mania which linked to the central themes.
The audience is left with many questions raised by the performance - who was 'unwell'? Whose reality was real? Is this really what it is like to have voices in your head? - but this helps to capture the messy nature of mental health which never seems to come with concrete answers. Overall, this was an impressive piece of theatre which shed understanding on a complex issue, and going by the people crowding the Mind Manchester stall at the end, it is helping to start vital conversations.
(Part of SICK! Festival)
On entering the performance space, issues suggested by the title are instantly brought to mind as the performance space is split in half, with audience members facing each other. The basic set consisting of a wall of windows with a central door acts a room divider.
When the action starts, you soon realise that you have signed up to a bizarre two-for-one-performance-offer. Audience members are engaged in the immediate action that they can see on 'their side', while simultaneously being aware that the 'other side' is being performed an entirely different show. This creates an unnerving and frustrating feeling as you are torn between focusing on the dialogue you can see, while constantly questioning what you are missing out on (especially when you can see the opposite audience member's faces light up at a joke that you missed).
However, the performance effectively ties the two sides together through dialogue, sound, connected reactions and clever uses of timing. On both sides you are aware that the plot concerns characters hearing voices, but it never is quite clear who is in the 'unwell' role. Characters cross-over sides, engaging in both dialogues, keeping the show quick-paced and intelligent. As time goes on, barriers are continually broken down as the two sides increasingly interlink while dividing curtains are ripped down to fully expose the opposite goings-on.
At half time, audience members are asked to switch sides while the set is quickly put back together. When the second half begins you are relieved to finally be 'let in' on the action of the 'other side' that you previously missed out on. I did find my mind wandering at times as I tried to work out if we were seeing exactly the same script as in the first half. The only other drawback for me was the slightly out of context dancing that takes place at the end, but it did conjure a sense of mania which linked to the central themes.
The audience is left with many questions raised by the performance - who was 'unwell'? Whose reality was real? Is this really what it is like to have voices in your head? - but this helps to capture the messy nature of mental health which never seems to come with concrete answers. Overall, this was an impressive piece of theatre which shed understanding on a complex issue, and going by the people crowding the Mind Manchester stall at the end, it is helping to start vital conversations.
(Part of SICK! Festival)