SPS and Theatre NEMO take the plunge to raise funds for working with the children of prisoners
We're at it again, doing exciting things to raise funds for Theatre NEMO. Abseiling off a cliff, HELP!!! Doris Williamson, Clinical Manager and Health Nurse in HMP Barlinnie, volunteered to abseil down the side of a cliff at Dunkeld on the 11th May. Hugh McCue and Isabel McCue joined her for this terrifying feat!! Monies raised up till now are £600, will go towards Theatre NEMO's new developing project to create workshops for the children of prisoners. A big thank you to all who have donated, we are still receiving cheques! Full description in our May Newsletter, which you can download above.
Big Bag of Choices visits Dumfries
Theatre NEMO were invited to perform the 'Big Bag of Choices' by Dumfries and Galloway Choose Life and Together Opening Doors earlier this month. Promoting good mental health and wellbeing, the performance asks: What choices has the new mental health act brought to you? This was a great opportunity to show at first hand how the arts can help break down stigma and isolation and give people a sense of purpose.
6 month animation project
You will learn a number of new skills and participate in a joint film that will focus primarily on issues of isolation and depression. To begin with individuals will explore ideas through writing and storyboarding, using outer space and space travel as a way of addressing the key issues. Through group writing sessions, the main story will be devised and storyboards will be used as an aid to assist the planning and shooting of the film. Model making and set building will then follow, as the participants learn how to make poseable characters and functioning sets. Voice work will also go on alongside this, so that by the time the group comes to animate, all of the component parts will be in place. Finally, the group will learn how to animate using cameras, computers, lighting and editing facilities. Once the film is animated, it will be post-produced, so that the sound and special effects can be added. Once the film is made, it will then be transferred onto dvd and promoted through Theatre NEMO for festival and broadcast distribution. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in gaining an insight into a professionally produced animation - even if you have no experience! If you are interested, please contact us.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Isabel McCue was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Scottish Mental Health Association (SAMH), Mental Health and Well-being Awards in Glasgow for 'sustained dedication to the mental health sector'. David Denton, Chair of SAMH, said that Isabel had been selected as "her work with Theatre NEMO is inspirational not only to those who use and work with it but also to those who work within the mental health sector in Scotland". Please see our Awards page for photo and more information.
Designing A Creative Approach
A conference on using creativity as a bridge back into the community. Scottish Prison Service, Butler Trust, HMP Barlinnie and award-winner Isabel McCue hosted a conference to showcase the work of Theatre NEMO in promoting creative interventions in custody and after. The conference was held on Thursday 7th February 2008 at the Scottish Youth Theatre.
The conference looked at how this work can be developed after release to help build upon what has started in prison, instead of losing discovered talents and improve self esteem generated by the workshops in prisons. Also, how reducing re-offending can happen through this work. The conference will help specifically to develop work by Theatre NEMO and a response by the Butler Trust's Tim Newell OBE, Development Consultant, can be found here. A response from committee member Hugo Butts can also be found here.
New Website and beyond!
Late, Late Christmas Show & Cabaret - Never too late! Theatre NEMO wish to thank all their helpers and those that came along to show support in making the evening a success and in raising over £400 for the Church on the Mount Befrienders.
Please visit our photo gallery.