Migration and Mental Health Get Dramatic Treatment in the New Theatre, 3 July-5 July
At a time when the issues of migration and mental health are seldom out of the
news, the Centre for the History of Medicine in Ireland has worked with CHM at
Warwick University and Talking Birds theatre company to develop a new theatre
production which explores why the mid-19th century saw a prevalence of mental
disorders among Irish migrants. The resulting dramatic piece, entitled ‘A
Malady of Migration’, will run later this week at the New Theatre, Temple Bar, Dublin, from Thursday 3 July to Saturday 5 July. Performances will take place
at 1pm and 7:30pm, and tickets range in price from €4 to €10.
'A Malady of Migration' is based on research
being carried out by Professor Hilary Marland of the University of Warwick and Dr Catherine Cox
of University College Dublin, in a project called ‘Madness, Migration and the
Irish in Lancashire, c.1850-1921’, funded by the Wellcome Trust. They are
supported by postgraduate students and others, who have conducted supplementary
research and will take supporting roles in the drama.
Professor Hilary Marland explains that “This
is a chance to showcase our research in a way that is interesting, informative
and sensitive, weaving in stories based on patients’ case histories and
experiences. The aim is to make the findings of the research available to wider
publics and to stimulate thinking and debate about mental illness in the past
and present.”
“The performance, based on an insightful and
compassionate interpretation of the historical material, reveals both change
and continuity in how we view mental illness, its causes and in particular its
relationship to displacement, migration, isolation and poverty.”
There will be an expert panel discussion after the Thursday evening
performances in each venue and a post-performance discussion at Saturday
lunchtime, providing opportunities for audience members to discuss the making
of the piece with researchers and the theatre company, and to engage in debate
on issues raised.
A series of short briefing sheets have been produced, mainly by postgraduate
researchers in both centres, to complement the drama and provide background
information. These can be accessed here.
Check out the Malady of Migration website here.