So many people have asked me why Depression as a topic for a show,
where did the idea come from and why now.
About 3 Years ago I found myself travelling home from uni on a bus, and suddenly I had this idea of doing a cabaret show about depression. That’s honestly it, it just appeared in my mind. For a few weeks I became pretty consumed by the idea. That this would be a show presenting a collection of monologues revolving around themes like ‘standing out’ and ‘partying to fill the void’ I felt like depression was not something talked about enough, that my friends and I weren’t really super comfortable talking about these issues.
In fact, that day I started choosing songs for themes and had typed out an introduction for the show within a week on the notes on my iPhone. I’m still referring to that note every time I change the script or write something new although the themes have changed, and the songs have too… but this is where it started to come together outside of my mind.
Over the years, I mentioned the show idea to people and got mixed results. Mostly intrigue, they wanted to know what I would say and do and what the songs would be.
Slowly but surely, I filled my life with other plans. Until this time last year, when I made a promise to myself that if I was still living in Adelaide June 2013 I would present Depression The Musical in the Cabaret Fringe.
There were a few prompts that reminded me of this promise, but when I started chatting to Marcel, the Cabaret Fringe Fest. Marketing Officer at my venue Harry’s Bar, the show suddenly became real. It was achievable. It would be a huge feat, but it I was going to make it happen.
But I’m not just doing this show to tick an item off my bucket list. Over the past three years whenever I’ve spoken about Depression TM, I’ve become more passionate about sharing these experiences and helping people to understand what its like to have the ‘black dog’ following you around every day.
If there is anything you’d like to know about Depression The Musical, the process I’ve gone through to write it, or how I chose the themes addressed, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at storyteller@phitheodoros.com
