Summer of Circus is in full swing here in Worthing and this July we’re thrilled to present B.L.I.P.S.
B.L.I.P.S is a journey through a real-life experience of Brief Limited Intermittent Psychotic Symptoms, exspressed through a wild circus performance. Performed and co-written by Margot Mansfield, this is a personal, funny and touching retelling of the chaos of psychosis. The piece took the Adelaide Fringe by storm this year, winning the Emerging Artists Award. We caught up with director and co-writer Jess Love to find out more.
B.L.I.P.S Co-writers: Director Jess Love (left) and performer Margot Mansfield (right)
How are you feeling about your upcoming show in Worthing?
Margot and I are so excited. Worthing will be the show’s international debut. So we are literally bursting to get to the seaside and show the people of Worthing this exciting piece of art we have created.
What can audiences expect from B.L.I.P.S – without giving too much away?
They can expect a full body experience. Margot takes people on a beautiful rollercoaster ride of her real-life experience of psychosis at the age of 19. Full of pathos, humour, chaos, acrobatics and hula hoop hope. It is a peak through the beautiful lens of bats**t crazy.
What inspired you to tell this story?
Margot experienced sleep deprivation psychosis twice when she had barely become an adult. She was flung into the dehumanising and often stark word of our mental health system. So, she decided to make her experiences into a one woman solo circus show because she didn’t want anyone else to live through the stigmatisation that she felt. It has been a hard time getting out from under its shameful shadow. B.L.I.P.S. is a spectacularly vulnerable and equally empowering middle finger to all that shame and stigma. It is touching and raw, brave and delicate, stoic and perfectly flawed.
What were the biggest challenges in developing this piece?
Well, making a show about sleep deprivation psychosis as your first solo performance piece – and the stress that that creates – does not make a peaceful combination to add to your sleep hygiene routine!! I also have a lived experience of psychosis and sleep plays a huge part in maintaining a regulated mental health system. So the main challenge we faced was making sure we both got enough sleep, ate well, stayed grounded and didn’t spiral into too much stress or overwhelm. That, and working out how to get our hands on – and then tour with an actual, fully functioning, electric hospital bed that weighs as much as a small car.
What have you most enjoyed about your role?
This is the first full length circus theatre show that I’ve directed and I couldn’t be prouder of what we have made. The journey of getting to know Margot as an emerging artist, meeting and interviewing her whole family, becoming a part of the fabric of each other’s lives, it was such a pleasure and a joy to experience. I absolutely love my job but this project has been one of the best experiences of my career.
What advice do you have for someone starting a career in Circus arts?
It’s hard, I wouldn’t recommend it!! But if you insist… LOOK AFTER YOUR BODY, spend money on massages, physio, pilates, Epsom salts etc etc. I promise it’ll be the best investment you ever made.
Do you have any memorable moments from the show?
My favourite thing about the audience reactions is when they cry and then moments later they are laughing. The fact that Margot and I were able to make a piece of theatre that takes the audience on such an emotionally touching journey blows my mind.
Production shots by Peter Tsimop
B.L.I.P.S comes with a content warning to advise audiences that its themes may be distressing and triggering for some. Tell us your thoughts on how these warnings benefit audiences and the industry.
Trigger warnings are simply consent. Consent is basic respect. And artists respecting audiences, and vice versa, creates ACTUAL safe spaces for everyone to enjoy art like ours; stories of the human experience with all its guts and glory. I have a pretty bad snake phobia and if I turned up to a show where there were live snakes I would have a huge panic attack- which is not fun for anyone. B.L.I.P.S. is about a mental health crisis, although the show is not extremely confronting or triggering, everyone has a different threshold.
Summarise the show in 3 words
Beautiful, courageous, captivating
What do you hope audiences will take away from this show?
I hope they take away whatever it is they needed to ❤️
Please be aware that the piece contains sensitive content including: distressing or potentially triggering themes, Haze, Strobe Lighting, Strong Language/Swearing. Loud noises, references to mental health / psychosis.
BLIPS is here at the Pavilion Theatre for one night only, Thursday 25th July. Be sure to book your tickets for this unforgettable circus experience.