St. Helens performance group Other Ways of Telling return to St. Helens Library on World Mental Health Day (Friday 10th October at 3pm) with Wendy in Saneland – which explores mental health care services, inequality and poverty.
The original piece, created by the company in their weekly workshops, is a response to the times that they are living through. It follows the character Wendy, living in St. Jude’s Home for the Insolvent and Insane, as she tests the latest outlandish solutions in mental health care services.
She’s accompanied by a band of irregular characters including the corrupt Captain Hook, the drug dealing Lost Boys and a political Peter Pan in an afternoon of music, poetry, performance and song.
The performance is part of St Helens Council’s Arts Council-funded Cultural Hubs programme – and accompanies a range of events at St. Helens Central Library organised as part of World Mental Health Day.
The initiative, run by the World Federation for Mental Health, is now its 22nd year and promotes global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. Visitors to the library can expect stand-up comedy, performance, an author talk, stalls, and information and advice from partners across the borough.
Stuart, a participant in the Other Ways of Telling group said, “I first came to the group about 12 months ago, I’ve done three plays, and I just progressed from one to another. I was very nervous at first because I didn’t think I’d learn the lines or be able to put things across to an audience, but I’ve learnt various techniques and with experience I’ve just grown and grown in confidence and it’s just great.”
Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Council’s Cabinet member for Public Health and Wellbeing said, “Other Ways Of Telling Is a fantastic illustration of how we in St. Helens are applying a holistic approach to improving the health of our communities. More and more we are aware that we need to apply new methods to tackle health inequalities and the arts can be a shining example of effectively utilising non-traditional strategies and interventions within our public health offer and it is for this reason that Public Health have funded this excellent intervention.”
Other Ways of Telling was set up by St. Helens Council’s Arts team and is funded by St. Helens Council’s Public Health Unit. It is delivered by Collective Encounters.
Tickets for the production are free but must be booked in advance by calling 01744 677 446 or visitingwww.culturalhubs.eventbrite.co.uk.