John Casson

Voices and Visions
a Five Act Play

directed by Helen Parry,
performed by The Arden School of Theatre, City College, Manchester.

Performed at the Arden, City College, Manchester: Thursday 6th, Friday 7th, Saturday 8th July 2006

Synopsis by John Casson:

Four people who hear voices (Ray, Sam, Jo and Terry) struggle to survive with the help of a British NHS psychiatric service.
We see them at home, in hospital and in therapy. The play opens in the street where Sam’s brother, Connor, mugs Jo.
Jude, a dramatherapist, gets a job in the psychiatric service. She meets all four patients and offers them a therapy group. (Four scenes show us the life of that therapy group.)
Connor burgles Terry’s house resulting in Terry going back into hospital. Ray does a cathartic psychodrama in the therapy group that releases him from the grip of a repetitive nightmare. He and Sam develop a friendship but Connor interrupts their first outing to a pub and the violence leads to Ray becoming disturbed.
The final scene leaves the audience unsure whether he will be sectioned back into hospital or escape into the new relationship with Sam. Jo becomes a singer in a nightclub.

The play incorporates flashbacks, nightmares, visions, and hallucinations. It uses film, puppets and masks.
It is an ensemble piece centring on the four patients, their therapists, professional and family carers. It moves between social reality, fantasy and madness.
There are two versions: one for about 25 actors, another for just six (which is so arranged that the six actors can play all the parts).

The play is based on 20 years of clinical experience and 6 years of PhD research into what people who hear voices find helpful or unhelpful in dramatherapy and psychodrama. So far as I am aware it is the only play that shows scenes of individual and group therapy using Art Therapy, Dramatherapy and Psychodrama.

Voices and Visions is a Five Act Play based on my PhD research with people who hear voices: it is available as an attached file by e-mail free to those interested. Please contact me to discuss this.

Dr. John Casson

Click here for John Casson’s contact details.


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