Presented as part of The Big Anxiety Festival, the Seymour Centre presents the world premiere of Grace Under Pressure in the York Theatre for a limited season until 28 October 2017.
Co-written by David Williams and Paul Dwyer, Grace Under Pressure is a new verbatim theatre play that delves into the workplace and training cultures of health professionals – cultures that are making doctors and nurses sick, and can put patients’ lives at risk.
Medicine and nursing are commonly referred to as ‘the caring professions’, and yet almost every week there are new reports of bullying and harassment experienced by many health professionals.
Recent reports from beyondblue have suggested that the rates of clinical depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours among doctors and nurses are twice as high as the national average. Grace Under Pressure asks – how might we as a society better care for our carers?
Co-writers David Williams and Paul Dwyer, in collaboration with the Sydney Arts and Health Collective, have developed the play through interviews with nurses and doctors about their experiences of training and working in hospitals.
“We’ve interviewed over 30 health professionals at various stages in their careers for Grace Under Pressure, and on the one hand I’ve been shocked at the frequency of terrible experiences within training and hospitals,” says co-writer and director David Williams.
“On the other hand, I’ve been amazed by the passion and joy that these nurses and doctors bring to their work, and the grace with which these people face tremendous challenges in the face of life and death”
“This play does not shy away from dark places and real-life horror stories, but it also reveals its characters to be strong, resilient health professionals who are not simply defined by their struggles with anxiety, stress, and illness. This play has been a genuine privilege to write, and we look forward to sharing it with audiences in October.”
A deeply moving work that is both hopeful and compelling, a unique glimpse for the general public into the often-closed world of the health sector, Grace Under Pressure will open public conversation, and encourage cultural change within the medical and nursing professions.
Director: David Williams Featuring: Renee Lim, Rose Maher, Sal Sharah, Wendy Strehlow Dramaturg: Paul Dwyer Lighting Design: Richard Manner Sound Design: Gail Priest Set and Costume Design: Isabel Hudson Production Manager: Emma Bedford Stage Manager: Patrick Howard
Grace Under Pressure
York Theatre – Seymour Centre, Corner City Road & Cleveland Street, Chippendale
Season: 26 – 28 October 2017
Information and Bookings: www.seymourcentre.com