Acting Mad

Mental illness does not discriminate. Although there is more access to information, many still suffer silently or face stigma when they come out with their illness. What is this experience like for actors in Singapore? Are they expected to just deal with their mental health issues because they are seen as ‘tortured artists’ and ‘so full of drama’?

In 2019, The Necessary Stage presented Acting Mad, a verbatim play based on interviews with 20 actors who have experienced or are going through mental health issues.

This iteration, specially commissioned by Esplanade for The Studios 2022, incorporates new interview texts and testimonies, as well as actors’ responses to the pandemic and its impact on them.

Can sharing our stories, and creating theatre, be a form of solace and support?