Hysteria’s Shadow: Stage Explores Past Treatments of Women

A theatrical journey revisits 19th-century Paris and the complex history of mental health

The legacy of 19th-century attitudes toward women’s health and sanity is brought to life in a compelling new stage production that blurs the lines between scientific inquiry and psychological torment.

Charcot’s Controversial Theories

At the infamous Salpêtrière hospital in 19th-century France, a place that housed women committed for a range of reasons from perceived promiscuity to poverty, physician Dr Jean-Martin Charcot pioneered his theories on hysteria. This condition, named from the Greek word for uterus, had long been attributed to a “wandering womb.” Charcot, however, began to reframe it as a neurological disorder, controversially suggesting men could also be affected.

His methods were ahead of their time, incorporating hypnosis, photography, and a flair for showmanship that, while groundbreaking, strikes modern audiences as unusual. The practice of patients performing their symptoms for an audience and Charcot‘s defined stages of hysteria are now considered relics of a bygone era.

Theatrical Poetry of the Mind

Helena McBurney’s script masterfully weaves together historical misogyny and the challenges of mental illness into a fluid theatrical experience. The play is described as part lecture, part nightmare, artfully blurring the boundaries between the medic and the patient.

Actor Charlotte McBurney delivers a powerful performance, embodying vulnerability, confusion, and sharp intelligence. Her portrayal, clad in a striking off-white ensemble resembling a designer straitjacket, is enhanced by Bella Kear’s immersive sound design, which creates a disorienting soundscape.

Christina Deinsberger’s production for Fish in a Dress is sharp and dynamic. McBurney’s performance transitions seamlessly from lucid narration to feverish depiction, drawing connections between historical treatments of women and contemporary understanding.

A Lingering Societal Echo

The harsh conditions within Victorian asylums and the historical disadvantage faced by women in the evolution of psychiatry are stark realities. While significant progress has been made, societal biases can still influence perceptions of mental health. For instance, statistics from the World Health Organization indicate that globally, depression is 50% more common in women than in men.

The production is being presented at the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh until August 25th, offering a thought-provoking exploration of how far we’ve come, and perhaps, how far we still have to go.