Trephination for the Twenty-First Century
On Thursday 18th January Thackray Museum of Medicine is opens its Victorian operating theatre for a one-night-only performance of care - and you’re all invited. Trephination for the Twenty-First Century is a brand new one-woman theatre performance by your friendly travelling madwoman Amanda Grace.
Amanda is running up and down the UK with her solo theatre piece to reclaim former operating theatres and asylums for her mad, neurodivergent, and mentally ill ancestors. This visceral exploration of Madness combines psychological theory and theatrical technique to create an ardent and authentic performance of care, including a post-show discussion between artist and audience.
"It’s as fantastic, heartfelt, and unbelievable as it sounds, and I'm here to explain why you should be part of it." says Amanda. "I was diagnosed with a chronic mental health disorder when I was 13, and spent the next ten years or so being a ‘mentally ill artist’, obtaining dual honours degrees in Psychology and Theatre so I could explain what goes on in my brain to other people and self-advocate in a treatment system that very often teaches practitioners that the voices of their patients are unreliable, to be taken with a grain of salt. As my work and mental landscape evolved, I began to seek ways to re-enfranchise madness, moving beyond diagnostic labels that for so long described some of my most shining skills and personality traits as symptom clusters."
Trephination for the Twenty-First Century arose from this messy thoughtfulness as the piece Amanda wished her therapists and psychiatrists had seen before attempting to “treat” her - and to reimagine a procedure done to people like her as something full of gentleness and empathy.
Having performed this show for audiences in London and Peterborough’s own Victorian operating theatres, Amanda is constantly moved by how many people - with and without diagnoses - see themselves mirrored in her experiences of care, and share their own experiences in the post-show conversations.
Amanda continues, "Thackray Museum of Medicine has a special place in my heart because of its uncompromising encouragement of people’s fascination with the truth of our medical past, in the face of those who consider such interests “macabre”. The more we open conversations about what was done by and to us in blood, sweat, and tears, the more context we have to offer empathy to each other, so Thackray’s agreeing to host a mad piece by a mad artist is completely humbling."
Operating theatres like the one the audience will step into on the 18th January - a replica built next to the site of very real ones within St. James’ Hospital - have always been performative spaces where doctors taught via visceral, observational learning; the greatest showman imparted the most knowledge.
As Amanda observes, "A century ago, I’d very well still have been on the operating table, but I wouldn’t have had a voice. Trephination for the Twenty-First Century is attempting to rectify this history by acknowledging it, then doing better. If you’ve got something knocking against your skull, come let it out with us."
Amanda Grace is a neurodivergent, trans-Atlantic, bisexual dream child whose storytelling work traipses across fringe venues, communes and collectives, Victorian operating theatres, pop-up prohibition bars, festival tents, and storied stages and screens.
With a dual background in theatre and psychology, Amanda specialises in the safe and sustainable performance of care. This is her first UK tour.
See you in the operating room!