As I write this article, it's five weeks to go to the opening of Dissociated. Today I've got to order a fruit machine on amazon. Last week I ordered some gold doubloons and a space hopper. My wife thinks that anyone looking at my purchase history would think I am pirate from the 1970's with a gambling streak. Meanwhile, my production to-do list never seems to get any shorter, as it fills with marketing, script rewrites and budget problems (ie. there's never enough money).
It's at this kind of point where I find it's worth pulling myself back from the minutiae of the day to day, and remembering why I'm dong this. Firstly, I love theatre. There's been plenty in the media across the last few years about being mindful. For me, theatre is great way to do this. When you're sitting in an audience, the electricity generated between yourself and the actors pulls you into the present moment. This is why our shows are immersive - it gives you the space to openly acknowledge this, and play with that energy a bit more.
As well as being a writer/director, I'm also a psychotherapist. My work with clients has not only informed my writing (GAME OVER is about suicide/depression, and Dissociated is about trauma/recovery from abuse), but also my approach to writing. As a therapist, the most important thing in my work is to be present with my clients. This is a lot more than just being in the room, it's about being attentive to their shifting moods, and responding in a kind, receptive way.
When I'm writing, or reviewing what I've written, part of me is trying to empathise with the audience, and imagine how they might be responding to what is emerging. This, in turn, helps shape the writing. However, it's quite difficult to judge yourself this way; it's why people need therapists—we tend to judge other people's problems with more objectively than our own. That's why having other people around you to give some perspective is so important—so a big shout out to my script doctor wife and all the cast and crew.
Dissociated is about child sexual abuse. I've worked with survivors for ten years, so I felt I had some sense of what they go through. The challenge was finding a framework to explore this story so that it didn't become too overwhelming for audiences, and finding a way to help them stay present to the (sometimes difficult) material. By setting the play in Alex's (our lead) dreams, I hope we have managed this.
I've seen a lot of immersive shows across the last twenty years. I've enjoyed them all immensely, but Goat & Monkey's Reverence was definitely one of the high points. They managed to keep the balance between bringing the audience into the narrative, but also keeping their story moving forward. I hope that with GAME OVER, and now Dissociated, Skitzoid Productions can build on this framework. At the very least, we're going to have a good shot at it, so please come down sometime from the 15th October to the Etcetera Theatre (we're on for two weeks) and let us know how we're doing.
Dissociated comes to the Etcetera Theatre, Camden, from Tuesday 15th October, 7:30pm for two weeks (performances Tue-Sat).
Tickets are £12 (plus booking fee, concessions available)
Skitzoid Productions will be taking donations for One In Four at the end of each performance.
For more information about support for survivor's of child sexual abuse, please goto the One in Four website by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on the My Theatre Mates website.