Mental illness explored in theatre
Joyce MacDonald

The Park Bench Players

Antigonish’s Park Bench Players were in Mabou this week to present their play about living with mental illness, With a Little Help From My Friends. Actors Mike Martell, Fran Nunn, Pat Chisholm, Catherine Tetu and Stacey Septon brought to the stage glimpses of life with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Four of the cast have been diagnosed with schizophenia themselves, while the fifth spoke of using mental health services as part of life with multiple schlerosis.

The show was written and directed by Jim Mulcahy, and originally performed for a dinner theatre show in Antigonish.

It is intended to open up discussions and frank talk about mental illness. The actors share stories and scenes from their own lives, challenging the audience to think of them as people with a wide variety of experiences, interests and talents that are not bounded by mental illness. Through songs, skits and speeches, those watching are drawn into the actors’ world and come out with a better understanding of it.

Last year the troupe won the national 2012 Recovery Excellence Award from Psychosocial Rehabilitation Canada.

With a Little Help From My Friends was performed at Strathspey Place for the public on Sunday, February 23rd, and again on Monday for Dalbrae Academy students.

The show was produced by Maria Van Vonderen, Verna MacDonald and Dana Mason.