Hard to Swallow. Mark Wheeller

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      Rehearsing and Touring Hard to Swallow

      Mark Wheeller was (and continues to be) incredibly supportive of the company’s work and they were thrilled when he gave the company permission to take the play on a national tour of UK secondary schools in the Spring of 2018. TIE IT UP THEATRE cast five incredibly talented, professional, adult actors, who were a joy to work with in rehearsals. The play was new to each of them and it was great to see how the story and its subject matter achieved the same emotionally charged reactions from them as it continues to with students across the country. This was most evident when the cast were shown the harrowing photographs of Catherine that are used in Section 10 of the play. No matter how often we see these images they are no less shocking and we are reminded how important this play is in educating its audiences about eating disorders.

      Each actor came to the first rehearsal having carried out lots of research into the story, its characters and the subject matter. Maureen Dunbar’s book ‘Catherine’ on which the play is based, was a powerful resource that we used. In addition the company carried out extensive research into anorexia and a variety of other eating disorders.

      Once the ensemble started moving from page to stage, it was important to TIE IT UP THEATRE that they created something new and didn’t reinvent anything that had been done before it in its staging. It was also important that the actors felt completely comfortable in offering their ideas about how each scene could be crafted; this really was to be an open and safe rehearsal space where all ideas would be explored.

      TIE IT UP THEATRE had several aims for this particular tour. Firstly, they wanted as many young people as possible to be able to see a live piece of theatre. Secondly, they wanted to help bring the text to life so that they could help Drama students with their studies. Thirdly, and most importantly, they wanted to raise awareness of the complexity of eating disorders and their impact on the families of the victims. They were constantly aware that they were performing a play about real people and they owed it to the Dunbar family to tell their story in the most truthful and sensitive way possible.

      The production was created over a period of six intensive days before embarking on the two week tour. The response to the production has been overwhelming. The discussions that have taken place during the workshops afterwards have shown how many young people have been affected by eating disorders in some way. The company have received messages from teachers letting them know that some students have opened up for the first time and made a disclosure about their own battle with anorexia. They have also explored many other issues in the workshops as students have picked up on the stresses and strains that may have been caused as a result of Catherine’s illness. The issue of mental health is often discussed and it is important to the company that students are signposted to where help is available for them.

      TIE IT UP THEATRE have now toured the UK performing Hard to Swallow every Spring since 2018. To date they have performed in over seventy schools to approximately 4,500 young people.