| 14 Emotions
I directed this production written by Gerson Nason for the Wise Thoughts Organisation. Following on from the success of 'Swifts' this play was created in the same way - the culmination of a series of seven drama workshops that I facilitated. 14 Emotions was staged at the Drill Hall, London on 9 & 10 July 2005.
14 Emotions is one of those plays that will make you cry and laugh at the same time. You will never know which to do first or how to keep your own emotions under control. It will help you discover that each of us has many more than fourteen emotions, but most of them are completely forgotten.
This black comedy is about a successful attractive gay man whose personal and professional life runs smoothly until he discovers that he has cancer. Even the closest people to him cannot cope with this horrendous news and often prefer to leave him to it. However, and surprisingly, he does not become bitter with the world. He becomes more observant and cautious, but never loses a deeply human sense of humour as he strives to resist his terrifying illness.
The play is shockingly honest, and often applies sexual motives without a hint of prudishness, but with strange and sometimes surreal boldness. Each character has its own unique voice and seeks love and affection in its own special way. By the end, the hero retreats from his broken life into a new and unknown reality, to live in a country where he hardly knows anyone and cannot speak the language. To him, this seems the only step he can take, as watching the scary transformation of those who were his friends and family into strangers is far too painful.
Partially autobiographical, this play takes us to all sorts of uncomfortable places where modern audiences often don't want to go, but it does it in such a way that we are not accused or blamed, simply invited to stop and think about how we lead our daily lives. The unusual form of the play reminds us of radio drama, emphasising how difficult it can be to find your own way or even your own personality in the metallic jungle of the modern world.
Sadly, Gerson's own cancer returned and he died on 8th January 2006. He is sorely missed by us all. We hope to revive this play at a future date.
The cast: Howard Delmonte, Amerjit Dew, Francesca, Nancy Baldwin
Written by Gerson Nason
Directed by Dimitry Devdariani
Performed at the Drill Hall, London in July 2005
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