| “Remarkable Tale..Vitally Important Aspect of Cardiff History" |
At the Sherman |
| Hijinx & Sherman: Housemates- Critical Round-up , Theatre Autumn 2023 , December 16, 2023 |
[A guide to productions at the Sherman can be read on the first link below.]The Sherman and Hijinx presented “Housemates”. The Guardian was there: “Astounding tale of how a volunteer at a Welsh hospital changed the lives of neurodivergent people globally is dynamically directed and movingly told “This is a local story with a global imprint. It took place only a stone’s throw from the doors of the Cardiff theatre in which it movingly, rip-roaringly plays out, and it might better be called a revolution for how it changed the lives of neurodivergent people around the world. “It is the 1970s and university student Jim Mansell (Peter Mooney) volunteers at Ely hospital in between protesting over South African apartheid and the Vietnam war (“Why do you think you have to save the world?”, asks his girlfriend, Sally). The “patients” are lifetime residents who, under UK law, are placed in care because of their learning disabilities, often institutionalised from birth and, in this case, existing in a hospital that has hit the headlines for alleged abuse. “...dynamically directed by Joe Murphy and Ben Pettitt-Wade, and exuberantly performed by a cast of neurodivergent and neurotypical actors. It traces an important moment in the history of care and places a spotlight on the cultural invisibility that surrounds the neurodiverse community. “Scenes segue into gig-like musical interludes, a rock band shoehorned around the stage. The blasts of music bring rousing, upbeat notes to some dark material (Slade’s Cum on Feel the Noize is a recurring number). Natasha Cottriall, as Sally, has a glorious singing voice, while Eveangeleis Tudball, as a ward nurse, doubles up as a singer too. “...In 1974, after years of campaigning by Mansell, five people from Ely hospital came to live with him as “housemates”. That “experiment” gave birth to the current model of supported living, first in the UK, then around the world. It is an astounding story, entertainingly and movingly realised. Quoted, with acknowledgement and thanks, from the full review which can be read at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/oct/13/housemates-review-sherman-theatre-cardiff * * * * Buzz Magazine was there: “When lockdown struck in 2020, Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre – like so many of us – looked to its local environs for inspiration. And it doesn’t get much more local than 12 Ruthin Gardens, a mere stone’s throw from the theatre’s front doors – or much more inspiring. Housemates, a collaboration with the inclusive theatre company Hijinx, tells the extraordinary tale of how this unassuming property in the heart of studentville became the epicentre of a revolution in social care. “The story begins in 1971, with first-year student Jim Mansell’s decision to volunteer at Ely Hospital, one of many long-stay psychiatric institutions around the country. He’s shocked by what he finds: residents with learning disabilities effectively imprisoned (many since childhood) in the apparent belief that it’s for their own good, shut off from society and left to live a life of tragic deprivation. Fired by his own experience and historic media revelations of abuse and neglect at the hospital, he vows to battle horribly outdated legislation, dehumanising attitudes and uncomprehending authorities to get it closed down. “Along the way, Mansell develops a radical proposal: students and former residents of the hospital living together under one roof. His plans are repeatedly ridiculed and rejected, received wisdom being that the residents wouldn’t be able to cope with life “outside”. But that argument is cyclical – they’ve been denied the opportunity to even try coping – and Mansell, while naïvely idealistic, remains doggedly determined. His persistence eventually pays off, and handsomely: the Ruthin Gardens houseshare experiment proves a resounding success, becoming a blueprint for supported living, and institutions including Ely Hospital are forced to shut. “It’s a remarkable tale, and a vitally important aspect of Cardiff’s history – but, in the wrong hands, Housemates could potentially have been a worthy but dry dramatisation of the social model of disability. Thankfully, writer Tim Green brings the story to life quite brilliantly, acknowledging the seriousness and sensitivity of the subject matter and refusing to gloss over the cruelty and inhumanity that residents faced, but lightening the load for the audience with snappy dialogue and sharp humour. For their part, directors Joe Murphy and Ben Pettitt-Wade ensure the production is slick and smart, with expertly integrated live music doing much of the heavy lifting.” Quoted, with acknowledgement and thanks, from the full review which can be read at: https://www.buzzmag.co.uk/housemates-sherman-hijinx-cardiff-stage-review/ * * * * Get the Chance was there: “...Written by Tim Green and co-directed by Joe Murphy and Ben Pettitt-Wade, Housemates is a fun and affectionate tale that is raucously brought to life by a hugely talented cast of neurodivergent and neurotypical actor-musicians. The show moves through its story like a song, underscored by an excellent sense of rhythm, movement, and momentum. There are brilliant performances by John and Mooney as the central duo, who lead a superb ensemble cast that includes Natasha Cottriall, Lindsay Foster, Matthew Mullins, Caitlin Lavagna, Richard Newnham, James Ifan and Eveangeleis Tudball. They make a (shockingly) little-known piece of Welsh history feel like an instant classic. “The show begins even before you take your seat, with the cast performing iconic 70s hits that transport you to this era of rockin’ rebellions – and keeps the party going well after the curtain falls. It is simply the most joyous show I can remember seeing in a long time. This vibrant co-production between the Sherman Theatre (the ‘engine room of Welsh theatre’) and Hijinx (one of Europe’s leading inclusive theatre companies) is further proof of the magic of contemporary Welsh theatre: a concert, a comedy, and a clarion call in one.” Quoted, with acknowledgement and thanks, from the full review which can be read at: https://getthechance.wales/2023/10/12/review-housemates-sherman-theatre-hijinx-by-barbara-hughes-moore/ |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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