Mad(e) at Arts Centre Washington

An epic story of life, death, and everything in between, Mandala Theatre are taking MAD(E) on tour from January – March.  A tale of three boys existing within hostile environments, this hard-hitting production explores the individual journeys as each attempts to heal their broken minds with the help of a mythical shapeshifter.  Developed with input from boys and young men from around the country, MAD(E) utilises physical theatre, comic chorus and poetry, in a passionate, exhilarating and uniquely theatrical commentary on masculinity and young men’s mental health. We are all made – not mad. 

Written by Sean Burn (Next Swan Down the River Might be Black, UK tour; collector of tears, Aurora Metro) and directed by Yasmin Sidhwa (Though this be Madness, UK tour; Castaways, UK tour) this production has been co-created with boys and young men nationally through investigative workshops, delicately drawing from their lived experiences of mental distress.  MAD(E) explores wounded communities where there is the need for reconciliation and restorative justice, examining themes of apology and restoration.  The play offers a realistic hope and a lived experience understanding of where trauma comes from and is ultimately about healing. 

Carrying their worlds in an urn, a bivvy bag, and soil from the Motherland, Mandala Theatre Company depicts three stories from different cultures, played by Max McMillan Ngwenya, Nelvin Kiratu and Lex Stephenson, all living lives dodging a system that engulfs and traumatises them. When they are confronted with Beira – a mythical female shapeshifter portrayed by Clarisse Zamba – the play delves into the intricacies of their mental trauma and ways of dealing with wounds that make post-trauma growth possible.