Coma

Stories from the edge of life.

Commissioned by Nottinghamshire Stages, the Royal Festival Hall and the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Coma was a response to the extensive work of Arnold Mindell, a key figure in the field of dreambody work and Process Oriented Psychology, who asserts: “We can communicate with people in comatose states and they are very much alive – like shamans or mythical heroes, venturing into unknown realms, returning with powerful messages and prophetic insights”.

Who are these people that are accorded the status of the dead? How do we contact them? Can we reach into this world and what do they have to tell us?

During the tour of Coma in 1999, we had a post-show discussion after every show. People were not only keen to discuss the issues raised in the show but clearly welcomed the opportunity to tell their stories about coma and near-death.

Coma was first performed at The Bonington Theatre, Nottingham in 1999 and toured throughout the UK to Crawley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kendal, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Nottingham, Oxford, Stamford, Sheffield and Warwick.

Direction and Design by Julian Crouch, Phelim McDermott and Lee Simpson
Lighting Design by Colin Grenfell
Production Management by Niall Black
Specialist Props by Niall Black

Performed by Guy Dartnell, Arlette George, Karin Heberlein, Hannah Marshall, Phelim McDermott and Lee Simpson