Black dog on the way to the Edinburgh Fringe

Spike Rose Productions - Shaun Higgins, Francesca Williams and Liza Ashby, with Katie Bird providing technical support, will take their theatrical show about mental health to Scotland in August.

Drawing from a palette of emotions which include depression and anxiety, the story reveals Tommy the Nobody existing in the immediate wake of a terrible decision. Reeling in confusion and haunted by the memory of a mysterious dancer, it is up to the formidable Tanya to convince Tommy to try again.

Navigating the minefield of mental health, however, is no mean feat.

Fusing together theatre, belly dance and music, Black Dog tells a story of hope in the face of despair, and the importance of second chances. The team behind the play are all heavily involved in the local theatrical scene, being members of the Attfield Theatre, Llanymynech Amateur Dramatics Society (the LADS) and several other creative groups.

The author and director, Shaun Higgins, said: "This is a really exciting project to be involved with, bringing to the stage a theme which is close to our hearts. Having personally suffered from depression for some time, I feel that it’s important to connect both with those who have experienced something similar, and those who haven’t – if we can shed a little light on a dark subject, then we might just be helping someone who would otherwise be suffering alone.

"While it might not sound like a laugh-a-minute story, it's a common misconception that people classed as ‘depressed’ are miserable all of the time. On the contrary, many who suffer with mental health illness will agree that they can feel love, hope, joy, just as strongly as anyone else.

"It’s just that sometimes their minds take unpredictable swings into darkness too. We’ve managed to incorporate this into Black Dog – it’s got humour, energy and vitality written into it, and the music and dance also bring colour and momentum to the story, making it a fully-rounded show."

Once the basic production costs have been covered through fund-raising and ticket sales, every single penny of profit will be donated to mental health charities, enabling more help to be offered to those effected by mental illness.

Those interested in supporting Black Dog are invited to become Project Patrons.

"By donating just £20 you will be helping the team to tell their story and, in return, you will receive a fridge magnet featuring the Black Dog artwork, receive a hand-written postcard from the team in Edinburgh in August, and have your name listed as a verified Patron in the production programme.

Those wishing to become patrons should contact Shaun via email: blackdogproject@hotmail.com

The premier performance of BLACK DOG is to be performed at Oswestry’s Attfield Theatre on July 11 at 7.45pm. The show is approximately 50 minutes long, which allows time at the end for an informal Q&A session with the cast and crew. Tickets are priced at just £5 each, and are available online through the Ticket Source website (www.ticketsource.co.uk/attfield), by email (attfieldboxoffice@gmail.com) and telephone 07544 11 35 11.by