Review: BIPOLAR ME, Etcetera Theatre

"It's crazy intense, that's what I'm like" Katie says. Now a washed-out singer who makes a living in pubs, she's struggled with her mental health since she was very young but never managed to give a name to what she was feeling. Afters years of battles with herself and others, she learns that she has Bipolar disorder. Ceri Ashe writes Bipolar Me, a jarring reconstruction of the internal and external strifes fought by those affected.

Directed by Liam Reilly, the piece swings from being a tough watch to presenting silly levels of dark humour in excellent balance and tight pace. The play owns a natural dynamism that binds non-verbal movement with Katie's fast-spoken dialogue. When she's not relating to her ex or her family, she sits opposite her doctor (Mat Betteridge), a still presence in a hectic show.

Andrew Armitage is Matt, her ex-boyfriend, and Gabe, her gay friend. The men act as counterbalance to Katie's energy, with Betteridge's performance being particularly impressive: also taking on the role of Katie's brother, he offers distinctly rich characterisations for both in a small amount of time.

Ashe handles the subject matter with a firm hand, putting forth the ugly truth of the state of her mental health before anything else. Her script is far from being a delicate representation of the illness and hits the mark with razor-sharp precision, shooting down common stereotypes and highlighting the real dangers of surviving with it. Ultimately, Bipolar Me is the touching story of a hard-earned recovery, so small details of how to achieve this are subtly scattered throughout.

The playwright doesn't make it easy for the audience, even though the actress-playwright eases the tension with instinctive banter that, however, only conceals the harrowing issue for a brief moment. The piece is not perfect and could do with a longer final scene to tie up the disorder with its consequential improvement, but, as it is, it's already a necessary and inspirational production that's as urgent as it is moving.

Bipolar Me runs at Etcetera Theatre until 6 October.

Photo credit: the production

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