This book is a refreshing look at how to sustain mind, body and brain in a precarious industry, finds reviewer Matthew Nichols.
Towards the end of the Covid pandemic, when theatres were in that frustrating stop-start phase of being ‘open for business’ and then suddenly cancelling performances, theatre-makers were going to extraordinary lengths to keep their buildings open. Actors were bussed in at the last minute, stage managers came out of retirement, musicians did double-duty. While theatregoers were able to enjoy a performance, there was also a knock-on cost to the industry. Sure, producers would be delighted. One less show to cancel and shoulder the burden of the cost of cancellation. But the performers' emotional health? This wasn't discussed. Timely, then, that this handy pocket guide offers great insight into the modern creative industries with a clear focus on sustaining emotional health and wellbeing.
Barker, Cooley and Wood come to this topic with a wealth of experience from different disciplines. Via acting, writing, directing and backstage, this is a compassionate and refreshing look at how to sustain mind, body and brain while working in a precarious industry, famed for its abrupt peaks and troughs. Think of it as a down-to-earth self-help manual for the stressed theatre-maker. It is grounded in real-life experience and offers many active exercises for the reader – and is all the better for this.
By starting with a definition of good emotional health, the book examines (firstly) why it's important to try to protect and maintain this. Thereafter, it explores the concept of resilience, and how the body can be used to help safeguard the brain and maintain emotional health, especially during difficult periods. An entire section is dedicated to times of (inevitable) unemployment. The guided exercises elevate the text and move it from a potentially dry and academic study into the realm of being actively useful with real world application.
There is probably a case to be made that much of what's here is applicable to a range of industries and areas of expertise. However, the focus on emotional health in a profession which inherently uses emotions as a currency is very welcome indeed. There are probably many battle-scarred and walking-wounded creatives, still blindsided by the impact of the pandemic, who would really benefit from reading this. For the rest of us, it's a highly engaging and soothing balm to ensure that we start to take seriously the craft of looking after ourselves.