Hoodwink in Hospital

participatory

In 2017, Elevate commissioned its first piece of theatre made specifically for the hospital setting, funded by Arts Council England and Salisbury Independent Hospital Trust. Hoodwink in Hospital was born from artistic director, Stephanie Jalland, working as a regular artist on the Elevate programme and understanding how the right theatrical experience could ‘gently interrupt the hospital day’.
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The 20 minute experience using music, sounds, and even the odd dance step, unfolds around the patient, ‘sweeping in wind and waves, birdsong and boats’. Patients of all ages are enthralled and uplifted by the experience.

The show is so portable, that everything is cleared away afterwards (even the paper confetti) and not a trace left, apart from mementoes of the event on a patient’s table – a shell, a feather or a fortune telling fish and an origami present made as part of the show.

Hoodwink in Hospital also toured Yeovil, Dorchester, Basingstoke & North Hampshire and Chelsea & Westminster hospitals, with the one-to-one special experience for patients.

“You made all the difference. Did you see the smile on his face?” (relative)

“That was amazing. You never expect to see that in a hospital.” (staff)

As part of the whole learning experience of creating immersive theatre work for hospitals, Elevate held a seminar in December 2017 bringing together hospital staff, arts professionals and academic researchers to share their experiences of how the project has helped support patients and how it may continue in the future.

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