Mental health and performance charity highlights the positive effect of arts on wellbeing and connection in a new production at Bristol Old Vic

Mental health and performance charity Many Minds will be staging an ambitious, large-scale musical production on the main stage of the country’s oldest continuous running theatre, Bristol Old Vic on 3 September. 

Same Storm, Same Sky has been made by Many Minds members, in collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, young people from Barton Hill in Bristol, Bass Choir and a team of professional artists and creative organisations including vocal composers Verity Standen, Jack Drewry, Artistic Director, Viki Browne and Dramaturg, Helena Middleton. 

Tickets for matinee and evening performances of Same Storm, Same Sky, at 3pm and 7pm on Sep 3 are on sale to the public from Wed 13 July at: https://bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/same-storm-same-skies  

The group started making the piece in 2020 during the first lockdown whilst doing workshops over Zoom exploring their feelings and connections to each other and nature through vocal compositions and devising and have developed the piece over the past two years. 

Many Minds is a member-led charity that runs workshops in theatre making skills to devise and create high quality contemporary performance. By creating imaginative performances with its members, the charity helps to improve confidence, reduce stigma, build self-esteem and social skills and put people in the driving seat of their own lives and wellbeing.   

COVID 19 has brought many challenges and Many Minds has been working to create a new musical performance which explores the themes of loneliness and isolation and the power of nature to offer comfort and connection. 

Many Minds member and performer, Tabby Rodney, 26 says; “Lockdown was hard. My mental and physical health declined and without my usual support networks it was really lonely. Many Minds gave me the space to creatively explore what I was going through and enabled me to continue to have fun when I felt trapped. In the group, we worked with how nature united us and that despite being in our homes, we still experienced the same storm. We went through it, just like the pandemic, and now we have the chance to come together to celebrate the beauty that comes after a storm.” 

Many Minds’ Artistic Director, Viki Browne says:  “It is a more important time than ever to bring people together through performance to celebrate ourselves and each other! People like us at many minds, who experience barriers in our everyday lives don’t often have the opportunity to make performance, or perform on main stages, our voices aren’t often heard. We are thrilled to share our creativity with audiences and demonstrate the impact that live performance can have on us all! 

A national survey was commissioned by Many Minds and conducted by Survation with 1003 people aged 18 plus in December 2020.  It revealed that almost half of people questioned feel that being creative boosted their mental health during lockdown. 

Many Minds’ Executive Director, Olivia Ware says: ‘It’s interesting to see that more people have been engaging in arts and crafts activity during the confines of the pandemic. Creative activity brings hope, joy and value to people’s lives and provides a place for them to turn to in hard times. We know that being involved in the arts can be hugely beneficial for people’s mental health. But not everyone has the same opportunities to take part and that’s what we at Many Minds are looking to address through our work.” 

The production has been supported by Arts Council England, Quartet Community Foundation, the Big Lottery’s Community Fund, Nisbet Trust, People’s Health Trust, Bristol City Council and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.