Mental illness has long been fertile subject matter in creative writing.
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It can be traced back to the works of ancient playwrights Sophocles and Euripides, and is famously explored in classic texts such as Hamlet, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
This week, year 11 drama students from the Hunter will have the chance to learn from two acclaimed Australian playwrights about the ways mental illness can be approached in creative writing.
NIDA Playwright’s Studio graduate Suzie Miller and the award-winning Caleb Lewis will visit Maitland Gaol tomorrow to conduct a workshop as part of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health’s youth awareness competition MindPlay.
The initiative asks school groups to write, direct and perform a 15-minute play with a mental health theme.
“Initiatives like MindPlay provide a fun and accessible opportunity for young drama students to connect with other young people, explore and learn more about mental health issues,” Hunter Institute director Jaelea Skehan said.
This year’s MindPlay competition starts with auditions on Friday, May 29, at the Hunter theatre, Broadmeadow. The grand final, with the top six entries, will be held on June 18. Visit www.himh.org.au/mindplay.
