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4:48 PSYCHOSIS: Tragic Yet Brilliant
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Mary DeBerry
February 2nd 2010 |
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 Heavy snow falling on a dreary day is projected on the wall - as if we are looking out a window. The stage goes dark then a little light comes up. We see a woman crouched on a bed. Her hair is cropped very short and her clothes are worn and sloppy. She seems to have had a bad night.
This is how the current play at the GAMM Theater, 4:48 Psychosis, begins starring Casey Seymour Kim as the Woman. The Woman is upset, alone, and pulling alternately at her blankets, her clothes and her hair. During the next hour and fifteen minutes, Kim delivers a tour de force performance with unrelenting intensity of someone suffering from severe mental illness. Yet this tortured soul is highly expressive and articulate. Kim carries all of the dialog except for a few lines, with only seconds of a break and no intermission.
Tom Gleadow is present on stage as the Doctor. Although he isn't given much to do, his presence is important and helps give the audience a reference point and helps reflect playwright Kane's opinion of the medical establishment.
4:48 Psychosis (the time representing the one moment in the early morning the woman experiences clarity) was written by British playwright Sarah Kane who was known to have Major Depression along with possible psychotic episodes. Kane's work was dismissed at first as merely attention seeking. But it didn't take long for the critics to recognize her talent in using the stage as an outlet not for attention, but for self-expression and understanding.
It is time to erase the stigma of mental illness and bring better understanding and acceptance to those who suffer. One out of every five people in Rhode Island has some form of depression. This production of 4:48 Psychosis was made possible by co-sponsors Butler Hospital and Gateway Healthcare, Inc. These are both Rhode Island based, non-profit mental healthcare organizations. Post-show discussions follow several of the performances with Doctors from each of the sponsoring organizations.
The night I attended, Dr. Linda L. Carpenter from Butler and Dr. Stephen Chabot from Gateway Heathcare, Inc. led the discussions. Most of the audience stayed and many had questions not only about mental health, but about the play too. The actors, Casey Seymour Kim and Tom Gleadow stayed and were very helpful in sharing their viewpoints about the character. Director Tony Estrella was not available that night.
The staging and number of characters on stage has varied greatly depending on where 4:48 Psychosis is performed. It was written by Kane with no stage directions,  no lines assigned to a specific character. Some productions have had as many as 12 people on stage - some to represent the fracturing or different areas of the mind. Director Tony Estrella took on the challenge and shaped this production within a narrative frame, which was tremendously helpful for the audience and the actors.
Yes, 4:48 Psychosis is sad and tragic, but also enlightening. And Casey Seymour Kim's performance is one of such raw emotion and remarkable talent that it should not be missed.
4:48 Psychosis runs at the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket, RI through February 7. For more information and to make reservations please call (401) 723-4266 or visit www.gammtheatre.org.
For help with mental health issues in Rhode Island call Gateway Healthcare, Inc. (401) 723-1915 or Butler Hospital (401) 455-6214. If you have concerns about a friend or relative, help them by urging them to seek care. |
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