The Almighty Sometimes

by Kendall Feaver

I'm older now. I'm stronger. How do you know I haven't sorted out some natural equilibrium all on my own? Maybe we should try it, just for a bit.

Diagnosed with a severe mental illness as a child, Anna was prescribed a cocktail of pills. Now a young adult, she's wondering how life might feel without them. But as she tries to move beyond the labels that have defined her, her mother feels compelled to intervene - threatening the fragile balance they have both fought so hard to maintain.

Winner of a Judges Award at the 2015 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, Kendall Feaver's The Almighty Sometimes premiered at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, in February 2018. The play received the the UK Theatre Award for Best New Play at 2018.

Genres: Plays, Mental Health

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2018

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wish I could give this more than 5 stars - if someone had told me this was the work of a mid, or even late career, playwright, I wouldn't have blinked an eye - that it is a debut play is astonishing, and it should have won outright the Bruntwood Prize, rather than just a Judges' Award (the winner, that year, Kathleen Soper's 'Wish List' was nowhere near as accomplished). Four diverse, well-rounded characters (three of them female!), a potent and all too relevant subject matter, and crackling dialogue all lift this above the ordinary. I only wish I was still directing - this would definitely be on my bucket list of plays to tackle.

[Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful play, but its just as beautiful to read. Within the first few pages, it had burrowed so deep into my soul and I would gladly have every single word of this book tattooed onto my skin because its so stunning.
The story is riveting, it grabs your heart and won't let go. The characters so utterly complex and real. The relationships difficult to navigate and always a few seconds away from falling apart. Told from a mix of Anna's present life—her struggles with mental illness, medication and mothers—and young Anna's prodigal stories.
Nothing has ever made me feel as wonderfully seen and terrifyingly known as this story.

[daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I <3 this play

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished: 05.05.2019
Genre: play
Rating: A+++++


#NSW Lit Awards 2019 winner for Drama
Conclusion:
Troubling trend
....more young adults dependent on
medication to make it thru the day.
This play was an eye-opener for me...
...so many youth #UnderPressure
...they cannot cope.

Winner New South Wales Literary Award 2019 (Australia)
for Drama

[Hazel P · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no straightforward answer provided within the play; it's something that audiences or readers must discover for themselves, perhaps in non-fiction works.

It was the first play I ever watched that directly tackled a young adult's mental health issues while also delving into the complexities of a nuanced mother-daughter relationship. I was eager for answers because the character's experience resonated with my own in subtle ways. However, I failed to find resolution while watching the show and still found it ambiguous after reading the text.

I view the text as an unveiling of issues within mental health diagnosis and treatment for young individuals. Firstly, diagnoses may be founded on shaky scientific grounds, and medical treatments often feel like experiments. Additionally, the process is tainted by stigma. A line from the mother, 'this is the illness talking and not you' (page 38), reflects a common attitude among caregivers who compartmentalize a person's 'normal' and 'abnormal' sides. Particularly in the play, the young adult leads an isolated life, with her mother as her sole and closest caregiver. I believe the writer raises questions about how dependency can erode a young person's self-awareness. Secondly, young adults typically have no say in the diagnosis and treatment process, as also noted in the introduction. In the play, the doctor uses the main character's writing piece in her book as an example of illness, despite obtaining approval from the character’s mother for its publication, which later proves to be frustrating for the main character. Additionally, the doctor refused to involve the main character in a medication reduction plan.

Regarding the mother-daughter relationship, I see no easy way out if the two are trapped within the confines of their relationship. I experienced a similar dynamic with my mom, and during my tumultuous early twenties, she also took me to doctors and enforced medication. While I acknowledge that I gradually cultivated maturity during my transition out of young adulthood, one significant reason I could stand on my own and trust my own decisions is because I achieved economic independence. However, for a young adult requiring ongoing care, I believe the story encourages us to envision a more robust support system for individuals with mental health needs that could be funded by government, rather than solely relying on an overstretched single mother to care for or 'fix' her child.

[Joe Clegg Prada · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vivid, heart-wrenching and full of life piece that questions how little we know about mental health treatment.

Feaver crafts Anna and her mother Renee’s journey through a relapse expertly. Their relationship is poignant and true. Their motives and questions about the true nature of Anna’a medication are valid. Their shortcomings and struggles can be sympathised with.

The snippets of Anna’s writing which are dotted about the play throughout are chilling to read but also quite fantastic. A great use of different writing styles to elevate an otherwise pretty standard format of theatre.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accomplished and scintillating play, giving a raw and honest portrayal of mental illness, the ethics of prescribing anti-psychotic medication to those too young, and its effects upon those closest to us. Deeply felt, funny and sincere.

Saw the excellent Manchester Royal Exchange production of this, starring the effortlessly brilliant Julie Hesmondhalgh.

[Lu Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a play that does something funky with form, I get the shits that I didn't think of it myself.

An unglamorous window into the effects mental illness can have on the people around those afflicted; I do wonder whether your 'general audience' would feel sympathetic to Anna, or just pissed off at her?

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not read a play before. Enjoyed, but missed the more in depth story telling and picture painting. I had hoped for more ambiguity about the need for medication and diagnoses in young people's mental health. Not as satisfying or thought provoking as I had hoped.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant play with a brilliant title. Thank you Feaver, for a raw look into the culture of an artistically inclined and medicated teen.

[Gracie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a brilliant play ! The characters are immaculately fleshed out and the relationships are beautifully articulated. Honestly a must-read, extremely thought-provoking.

[Dee-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing must-read play. Funny, disturbing, brilliant dialogue.

[xinyu · Rating 5 out of 5]

my roman empire.