Arts / New theatre production to explore impact of suicide
LOCAL theatre practitioner Stephenie Georgia has been commissioned to research and create a new production exploring the impact of suicide.
She is one of ten recipients of the Vanishing Point ‘Everyone is Creative’ commission 2022/23, an initiative developed to support a new generation of creative talent in Scotland.
Working in collaboration with local mental health charity Mind Your Head, Georgia will carry out interviews and participatory workshops to explore the lived experience of suicide and attempted suicide for those who suffer and those who love them.
The research will provide a framework for a new mixed media theatre production Flowers on a Fence which will be staged at a later date.
Georgia said: “I am absolutely delighted to have secured this funding to research for Flowers on a Fence.
“I have a particular interest in theatre which can make change happen. Plays which invite us to speak about the unspeakable and ultimately reach those who need help and those who support them.
“It is important to me that this production reflects the truth and portrays the genuine lived experience and impacts of suicide, and I couldn’t have hoped for a better collaborative partner than local organisation Mind Your Head to ensure we achieve this.”
Anouska Civico from Mind Your Head said: “Suicide remains a difficult word for people to say for many reasons so any opportunity to explore the impact of suicide and suicidal intention as a community and start conversations round this topic can only be seen as a positive.”
Vanishing Point is a renowned, artist-led theatre company based in Scotland.
Eleanor Scott, administrative producer from Vanishing Point, said “The rising generation of Scottish theatrical talent deserves the opportunity to experiment and develop new work, and so as part of our commitment to help nurture this talent we introduced our Everyone is Creative programme last year.
“We are delighted to be supporting Stephenie’s work in Shetland, which will explore a particularly challenging but important issue in a safe and supportive environment. We are very much looking forward to seeing the outcomes of her research.”
Everyone is Creative is supported by Vanishing Point’s award from Creative Scotland’s Recovery Fund 2022.
Workshops and interviews will be carried out throughout winter and spring. If anyone is interested in being involved, or would like to learn more, email alicetheatreproject@gmail.com.
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