Far From Fiction
“Far From Fiction” is a play about self‐harm including dangerous sexual behaviours, eating disorders and self-cutting. Two people meet in a place of confinement. It feels like a prison but is, in fact, a rehabilitation centre for people recovering from mental illness. One character is a 70 year old academic white lady who has recently suffered a serious depression. The other is a 20 year old black woman who has been in hospital for self‐harm and an eating disorder. The two women become friends despite cultural differences and the age gap.
Their relationship develops and takes twists and turns as the story unfolds. We witness their demons and their vacillating facility for relating to each other in a confined setting. Is there really any hope? What do they have to offer each other? Their developing relationship is the focus of the play.
Although the play addresses a very serious truth about human nature, there are moments of comedy and light heartedness.
As well as looking at the experience of the two people, the play also asks about the impact of societal responses to those who self‐harm and poses the questions: why is self‐harm increasing in young people today? What can we do, as professionals, to help them more?
“Far From Fiction” is a powerful drama about self harm in all its aspects, including eating disorders, self-cutting and dangerous sexual behaviours. The play is informed by up-to-date, specialist clinical knowledge.
The author has devised a new theatrical form called, The Theatre of the Shared Unconscious in which she tries to show through realism, comedy and tragedy the inner workings of the mind, both individual and collective.
Performances
Tavistock and Portman
