Mental health issues brought to the surface
A show which examines the difficulties that arrive with anxiety and depression is coming to Stirling next week.
Fisk (fish), a new devised piece of theatre by awardwinning company Tortoise in a Nutshell, delves into how people manage struggles with their mental health, with the support of others.
The theatre company, renowned for their innovative puppetry and visual theatre, perform the show in both Danish and English - with Scandinavian artists involved in devising the show.
The show - the story of a man and a fish, and the unexpected impact they have upon one another - weaves together a rich tapestry of puppetry, movement and intricate design, alongside an evocative original soundtrack. It opens next Thursday (January 26) at the Macrobert Arts Centre, where Fisk was coproduced.
Fisk welcomes the audience into the world of Man (Alex Bird), who meets Fisk (Arran Howie) coming from the depths. In a new highly physical and visual piece – the company draw on their own experiences living with depression and anxiety to create a portrait of how it’s possible to pull through, and how those around us become vital in balancing our brains.
“It is exciting to get the show underway,” said Alex. “This idea has been in development for between a year and a half and two years.
"When we come to Stirling it will be the first time we have performed it in the UK. The Macrobert have been so supportive of the production.”
This new poetic and visual exploration of masculinity, mental health and cups of tea at kitchen tables has been created working with Teater Katapult, Aarhus Denmark and the Macrobert. This collaboration has allowed the creators to stretch their wings and push the scale of their work, working with a diverse creative team. The script was devised with Danish playwright Anne Sophie Oxenvad.
Fisk had its international premiere at Teater Katapult, Aarhus, Denmark, in October 2016, and a Scottish tour will follow the Macrobert date.
The show digs deep into the feeling’s of Alex’s character and he said it is important to discuss issues around mental health on stage.
“It was a difficult thing to do,” he said. “It was quite personal as we had all had someone close to us who had issues with mental health.”