Local Hope to be found in Melbourne

Award-winning Surf Coast writer Janet Brown and local actors and directors are taking their play The Hope Song to Melbourne.

The play premiered at the launch of the Surf Coast Shire’s Mental Health Week last year. Directed by Iris Walshe-Howling and staged with the help of Anglesea Performing Arts, the play ran for two sold-out weeks at Anglesea Memorial Hall in October.

It is now set to show at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne from February 21-25.

The Hope Song project started two years ago when Jules Haddock, initiator of Surf Coast’s Arts of the Minds Festival, asked Janet to consider writing a play for Mental Health Week.

Janet said she decided to explore “verbatim theatre”, a theatre based on the true words spoken of people who have been interviewed.

“I thought that it would be a really powerful way to illuminate the issues and experiences of people who have mental health challenges,” Janet said.

“I’ve been interviewing people for other writing projects for many years, and have always found it very interesting and humbling when people share their life experiences with me.

“I am so grateful to the seven people I interviewed. They have been so insightful, frank and very generous by agreeing to share their stories.

“I want The Hope Song to inform and help the community. It’s more than just a night at the theatre. The idea is that the better we understand ourselves, our family members, neighbours, colleagues and mental health challenges, the more we reduce stigma and improve compassion about these issues.

“The name ‘The Hope Song’ came to me before I even began the interviewing process. I know that music – actually, the arts in general – and mental health have a beneficial nexus. Each person I interviewed has nominated a song that speaks to them or uplifts them. Those songs will be incorporated into the performances. Though the topic is quite serious, it will be a very entertaining show.”

Unlike the Surf Coast shows, the stories will now be stitched together with songs of hope chosen by the interviewees and performed by award-winning musician Kieran Tobin.

Co-director Iris Walshe-Howling said she was excited to bring the show to Melbourne with Kieran and the original cast from last October.

“It’s fantastic to be able to provide this opportunity to the cast and share me ssages of mental health with Melbourne,” Iris said.

“We’ve already sold out three of the six shows, which is exciting, and the support from SANE Australia and Gandel Philanthropy has allowed us to put the cast in accommodation for the week and increase publicity for the show.”

To book tickets, head to lamama.com.au or phone 9347 6142.