ABSTRACT
In Chapter 4 we found Beatie, emerging from a chrysalis, on her way, perhaps, to becoming a butterfly, going out into the world to find out who she really is. And our exploration of Cloud Nine brought us sharply into contact with issues of repression and heredity and ensuing confusion. The play which forms the centrepiece of this chapter challenges us to look at the more frightening aspects of the issues of identity. Another woman in a different trap whom therapists, working with those who suddenly cannot hold it all together any more, will surely recognize. The aim of this chapter is two-fold; the detailed discussion of the play is intended to link with the reader’s own experience of working with clients like this protagonist, for she speaks with the clear voice of authenticity; as therapists we must also be aware of our relationship to our own madness – our exploration of it, our denial of it, our fears of it, etc. The second aim will be apparent in the section on practical application which takes us into the area of acting and the process of play production. As we explore a play in which the protagonist splits herself into two characters we ask – what is it like to be an actor, to be two people at once; what are the implications for the mental health and general well-being of the actor; what are some of the implications for the director and the rehearsal process and how can dramatherapy address itself to these issues?
