SICK! Festival: Tackling the Art of Difficult Conversation

There are certain topics that we would simply rather not talk about. Topics that belong under the carpet and at the back of the closet, that are strictly forbidden at the dinner table. They are distinguishable via a large warning sign that reads ‘do not approach’ and the unsavoury smell of archaic stigma.

Trapped in an age where it is considered normal to deposit every banal thought into the bank of social media (‘you just have to watch this sleeping cat’), important dialogues remain unheard, pushed into a corner to converse in hushed voices.

But no more – SICK! Festival aims to tackle the art of difficult conversation.

Launched in Brighton in 2013, SICK! Festival is dedicated to revealing and debating our most urgent physical, mental and social challenges, embracing difficult topics through an unflinching programme of theatre, dance, film and debate.

"We were frustrated with contemporary art," explains director of development Tim Harrison. "We wanted to present work that reflected the real issues of our own lives and the lives of the people around us, bridging the gap between art and life and more specifically, art and health."

Among a muscular concoction of ‘real issues’ sit topics such as schizophrenia, suicide, rape and pornography. "We have compiled a programme that addresses these issues boldly," continues Harrison, "presenting work that is keen to say the things that others shy away from."

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"The subjects we address are heavy and personal, but everybody has difficult moments in their lives" – Tim Harrison

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For Helen Medland, artistic director of SICK!, the festival was born from the desire to offer Brighton audiences a meatier artistic proposition. Programming for Brighton’s contemporary performance hub, The Basement, Medland recalls the limitations of the venue: "I became frustrated with both the size of the venue and the breadth of work I could present there. I found myself with a bank of work that I was eager to share, but had no way of doing so. I began to realise that there were strong themes in the collection and the idea for a festival came soon after."

An instant success in Brighton, SICK!’s expansion into Manchester is an explosive move. "Manchester is a great city," Harrison begins when asked about the choice. "It has a long history of amazing, socially engaged arts practice – the perfect place for SICK!."

"Brighton is a particular sort of place and we thought it was important for SICK! to happen in a big city with lots of social issues," Medland adds. "We also like the idea of a North/South divide: taking the same programme to two very different cities demonstrates its reach."

The programme in question is vast and varied with a wealth of international artists: Ridiculusmus present the intelligent Eradication of Schizophrenia in Western Lapland after a successful Edinburgh run; Yaël Farber’s harrowing verbatim piece Nirbhaya features at Contact Theatre; Irish shocker Lippy moves from London’s Young Vic to The Lowry; and Itai Erdal’s lighting masterpiece How to Disappear Completely arrives from Canada.

They are fitting choices in the context of a challenging festival – and equally remarkable in their artistry – though some would point out that this is not theatre for the fainthearted. "The festival needed both dark and light," acknowledges Medland. "We have been very conscientious of that. Performers like Pieter Ampe and Tammy WhyNot help to keep the balance."

"And there are different ways of dealing with trauma," interjects Harrison. "Sometimes you have to accept a dark experience or you can find an uplifting way to respond. Humour is a strategy that people use to cope when bad things happen in their lives and I think we have reflected that duality in the programme."

For those looking for a little light refreshment the acclaimed Hunt & Darton Café opens its doors in Piccadilly. The eccentric hub of this year’s festival, the pop-up eatery serves as a social and artistic melting pot where spontaneity and performance meet great food and drink.

With guest waiters, themed events and hosted talks, the café approaches the core themes of the festival through collaboration with medical practitioners, academics, artists and local groups.

"You could be enjoying a cup of tea and slice of Battenberg cake while engaging in a serious conversation with a doctor," laughs Harrison. "The café allows more than your normal seven minutes with a GP – it provides room for a more open conversation."

There is, however, the assumption that the nature of the festival's themes may dissuade the more conservative audience member: do people really want to engage with such weighty topics? Medland and Harrison are confident that they do. "Yes, the subjects we address are heavy and personal," Harrison offers, "but everybody has difficult moments in their lives."

"Alongside your regular theatre- and dance-goers there is a huge – and largely untapped – audience for this kind of work: service users, mental health workers, those who have been indirectly affected by the subject matter and those who continue to struggle with it. The mixture is wonderful."

In a climate of collaboration, SICK! Festival boasts an array of support that serves to buttress its programming, ensuring the experience extends beyond the 90 minutes of performance: "The charities that we work with – whether that be Survivors, M.I.N.D. or Suicide Prevention – will be present at all festival events," explains Medland. "Merely signposting our audience to these organisations didn’t seem enough; we wanted them to be in the room."

There is, of course, no obligation to engage: "They will not be standing with a flag in their hand shouting hello," she clarifies. "Their presence is simply for those who need it. It is important that there is somebody on hand for those who feel deeply affected by the work."

Such charities have also played an instrumental role in the construction of the festival programme. Implementing an advisory panel comprised of professionals from various social sectors, Medland and Harrison have been careful to enlist specialist advice on what are inarguably delicate topics.

"The panel helped us to unpick big issues and recognise the sensitivities attached," says Harrison. "We didn’t want to make ignorant or insensitive decisions because we didn’t fully understand the territory – the charities have helped to shape things. They are an important part of SICK! and will always continue to be so."

Such a provocative festival is sure to be welcomed by a city that champions brave work, and if it gets people talking – well, that is half the battle won.