Musical backed by NHS and mental health charities
'fun show for people living depression and their mates that don't really believe depression is a thing'
THE award-winning comedy musical A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad), which sends the message that ‘it’s OK not to be OK’, comes to the Corn Exchange Newbury on Wednesday, March 6.
Written by Olivier award-winner Jon Brittain (Rotterdam, Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho), with music by Matthew Floyd Jones (of Frisky and Mannish), A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) is a hilarious cabaret musical that follows the story of Sally and her battle with depression. Produced by Silent Uproar, the show was shortlisted for the Mental Health Foundation’s first ever Mental Health Fringe Award at Edinburgh Fringe last year. It is influenced by the company’s personal experiences as well as people living with mental health problems and medical professionals.The team spent a year researching for the show, interviewing 50 people living with depression, speaking to psychiatrists, the NHS, mental health nurses, Mind charity and psychologists. The cast and crew have also had mental health awareness training from Hull and East
Yorkshire Mind, organised by NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group and they will be available for a post-show discussion.
The company has also arranged for mental healthcare volunteers to be on hand after the performance to signpost audience members to the help available. Silent Uproar artistic director Alex Mitchell said: “We wanted to create something that challenged the notion that depression is just being a bit sad. “We wanted to create a fun show for people who are living with it, but also for their mate that doesn't really believe that depression is a thing.”
NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group chairman Dan Roper said: “Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, yet too often people are afraid to talk about their experiences because they fear it will affect their jobs or relationships. “The arts can be an incredibly powerful way to understand what mental illness is, how it can affect people and, most importantly, that it can affect anyone. Simply talking about mental illness can help break down stereotypes and take the taboo out of something that can affect all of us.”
Co-produced by Hull UK City of Culture 2017, the tour has been made possible with the support of Arts Council England, house touring network, Hull City Council, New Diorama Theatre, Hull NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and Hull Truck Theatre.
Tickets £15 (£13 concessions).
Age guide 14+. To book, please visit the Corn Exchange website, www.cornexchangenew.com
