Using theatre drama to educate pre-registration nurses and midwives about mental health

Writer, director, and actor Pete Carruthers has developed a stage play called ‘The Possibility of Colour’. It provides a thought provoking immersive and moving insight into the experience of voice hearing, synaesthesia, neurodiversity and forced treatment. The strength of this production is that it has been co-produced with people with real-life experience of mental health conditions and with Mental Health Nurses to ensure the production reflects the world we live in.  

In an exciting new project, student nurses from the University of Central Lancashire, the University of Salford, and Edge Hill University were invited to attend the play. NHS Health Education England is supporting this project as it presents a unique experience for student nurses, as it constitutes a standalone theatrical performance, as well as a learning opportunity – a drama classroom! 

It is fantastic that we can offer students from all fields of practice including Learning Disability nursing, Children and Young Peoples nursing, Mental Health nursing, Adult nursing, and Midwifery. The performance is an opportunity to increase their practical knowledge, and to explore societal concepts of mental health conditions. There is a question and answer session afterwards facilitated by guest experts and director, Pete Carruthers. 

The project will investigate the impact the play has with students and their professional practice, paving the way for further use of drama and film as a useful and engaging method of educating healthcare students in the future