Scar
SCAR was born from informal discussions with students at Anstee Bridge, exploring the complex relationship between our physical and mental health. We wanted to acknowledge with the young people that our mental health can be as vital and as important as our physical health.
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SCAR ran parallel to an Anstee Bridge heritage project, which marked the 75th anniversary of the NHS. Directed by Bounce Theatre, SCAR was a collaborative effort, with students actively involved as producers and dramaturgs throughout the rehearsal process. This unique partnership allowed the students to shape the production, bringing their voices and insights into the creative process.
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The performance toured several venues, including the National Archives, the Rose Theatre, the Kent County Safeguarding Conference, the Kingston Hospital Nurses Conference, and Heatham House, sparking important conversations about health, care, and the human experience.
Ideas to Make SCAR Your Own
Sound Design
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Use layered sound design to underscore the themes of physical and mental health - such as heartbeat rhythms, hospital machinery sounds, or whispered conversations. These elements could create an immersive soundscape that engages the audience on a sensory level.
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Integrate live music that reflects both the emotional and physical journey of health. For example, use instruments or soundscapes that mirror hospital sounds or the pulse of a heartbeat. Students could participate in creating the music, incorporating their own experiences or cultural expressions.
Physical Theatre
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Scar takes place in a waiting room. The two stories overlap with two friends waiting for each patient. You could host workshops for groups to devise physical theatre segments of other patients / the noise / buzz of the hospital that take place in and around the waiting room on stage - this could be a way to underscore the intensity of the drama as they are waiting for news of their friends.
Extra Stories
You could host workshops where your students can experiment with character development, improvisation, or physical theatre, using their own ideas to further enrich the story. Other characters could be waiting in the same time period and further monologues or duets could be integrated into the script - giving you a chance to explore your students' own personal experiences with health and hospitals.