Theatre or Therapy?

Last year, 16 years since my last stage performance, I got asked to join my local arts group for their annual panto.  Despite having been a very outgoing, stage happy 16 year old, I hesitated to accept this more recent simple invite. It seems with age life weathers you a bit and your belief in being good at all that stuff fades.  But, I figured since I was no longer spending every second in the gym, it was time to try exercise of a different kind – exercise of talents and gifts that I had left to collect dust.

When I was surprisingly asked to play the main part of Aladdin, my initial, shocking reaction was “Noooooooooo!” Quite contrary to my reaction 16 years earlier when asked to play exactly the same part. This time round I wanted to slip into the background not be up front.  I wanted to be in the chorus and do all the dances, geer on the crowd and deliver an occasional “ohh no he wasn’t”. I did NOT want to sing solo, be a leader in engaging the crowd and delivering a multitude of lines, in some kind of order! But, not being one to let fear win,  I nervously accepted non the less.  Filled with self doubt, nerves, ‘old age’ syndrome and fear of failure I embarked on the rehearsals. 

There was laughter, there was funny adlibbing, there was dances to learn, singing lessons to be had, costumes fittings and the old social awkwardness of playing a ‘boy’ (this was actually slightly easier to handle than when I was a teenager at school!). But in December 2013, almost 16 years exactly to the date since I’d last stepped out there I galloped out on stage confidently to a fantastic crowd.  I delivered my lines with passion and confidence, I dances like my life depended on it, I felt so much at home up there and I sang with every bit of breath in me, belting those high notes powered by a belief that I could reach them. I absolutely loved every single second.

Being part of the Lantern Arts Centre last year was more than fun, it was more than being on stage and even more than dusting off an old talent.  It was incredibly healing.  Since becoming ill in April 2012 and losing my ability to do sport; the thing I loved to do the most, I lost a lot of what it felt to be ‘me’.   I lost part of my identity, a huge chunk of confidence. My social group changed and my sense of hope for the future grew smaller as I watched my dream of becoming a personal trainer and gym owner slide by me with no power to do anything about it. It felt a very desperate time.  Being part of the family at the LAC, I found a new sense of family in each and every one of the remarkable people who work, volunteer and visit there.  I found my confidence in myself again and found restoration of my belief that when life throws you to the floor and kicks you repeatedly, the true victory is getting up and being stronger than ever before.

While ready the BBC news the other day I saw an article that began “The Government is to spend millions more on "talking treatments" for depression and anxiety in England”. 

I say; why not get down to your local theatre group.

Many of the therapies that are most affective today are laughter therapy, singing therapy, drama therapy. This is not to diminish the work of talking therapies at all, I have had a personal experience of them and they are invaluable.  But, you can talk about gaining confidence, or get out on stage and action it.  You can talk about taking deep breathes when you are stressed or you can master your breathe through song.  The arts truly help put theory into action.

Government, why not take some of those millions you plan on spending and invest it in local arts groups who are helping people become healthier in mind every single day of the week and yet are struggling to keep afloat.

The Lantern Arts Centre is celebrating its 20^th year this year.  They are the only full time Christian theatre company in the UK.  They have loads of activities, performances and fundraisers going on for all ages.  PLEASE support them by finding out more at www.lanternarts.org