Kandinsky to Put Functional Neurological Disorder Onstage in STILL ILL at New Diorama

Kandinsky, renowned for staging real, often dark subject matter with their innovative, distinctive use of movement and visuals, will tackle the contentious topic of psychosomatic illness and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in brand new production Still Ill, running 1-19 November 2016 at the New Diorama Theatre.

Like many young actors, Sophie earns extra money by playing a 'patient' for medical students to practise on. But as her career begins to take off and she gets the job of a lifetime in a TV medical drama, her body begins to betray her. This time, the symptoms are all too real.

Inspired by extensive research with FND sufferers and medical professionals, Still Ill employs testimony from experts on this surprisingly common, little-understood condition, to create a vivid, visceral and darkly comic exploration of how and why people suffer debilitating symptoms with no known medical cause.

Functional Neurological Disorder is a condition in which patients experience neurological symptoms such as weakness, movement disorders, sensory symptoms and blackouts, but with no discernible organic cause in their brain or nervous system. It is a controversial topic in the medical world due to the lack of certainty and competing theories surrounding its causes and best courses of treatment.

In order to create Still Ill, Kandinsky have employed the help of those living with the condition, support group FND Hope and medical experts such as Dr Timothy Nicholson from King's Institute of Psychiatry.

Still Ill will be supported by visual storytelling giants Complicite - for whom James Yeatman works as an associate director.

Kandinsky was founded in 2005 by James Yeatman and Al Smith, with previous works including the Sunday Times Playwriting Award-winning exploration of our hubristic suburban ignorance of nuclear war, Enola; ambitious, Carol Tambor Award-nominated double-bill The Bird and The Bee; and the raucous murder-mystery-comedy-thriller Dog Show, which followed victims of a serial dog killer. Dog Show ran at New Diorama Theatre last autumn, winning the Peter Brook Festival Award and the OffWestEnd Award for Best Ensemble.

IF YOU GO:

STILL ILL - Kandinsky

Tues 1 - Sat 19 November @ 19:30
Press night Friday November 4th

At New Diorama Theatre, 15-16 Triton Street, Regent's Place, London NW1 3BF

Tickets: £12.00; £10.00 previews (Tue 1 - Thu 3 November); £15.00; £12.00 Concessions
For the best tickets, book online at www.newdiorama.com; To book by telephone, ring 020 7338 9034.

Kandinsky is a multi-award winning theatre company with a national and international reputation for exciting, inventive new work. Previous productions have twice won the Sunday Times Playwriting Award and been shortlisted for the Carol Tambor Award; most recently, Dog Show won the Peter Brook Festival Award 2015 and the OffWestEnd Award for Best Ensemble. Kandinsky are writer Al Smith, Complicite Associate director James Yeatman and producer Lauren Mooney. For more: kandinsky-online.com // @kandinskyonline.

New Diorama Theatre is a pioneering venue in the heart of London dedicated to providing a home for theatre ensembles, both emerging and established, from across the UK. Since opening in 2010, New Diorama has welcomed over 120,000 audience members and has developed productions that have toured both nationally and internationally. Having received two prestigious Peter Brook Awards for their programme, New Diorama were also the recipients of the 2013/14 Les Enfants Terribles Prize and Artistic and Executive Director David Byrne was awarded the OffWestEnd Award for Best Artistic Director in 2014. Supported by a strong community programme New Diorama were Mayor of Camden's Official Charity in 2012/13 and are proud of their work with Access, being the only non-government funded Studio Theatres to offer access performances throughout their whole season.

To post a comment, you must register and login.