Ottawa Fringe : Get Well Soon: a heavy subject that deserves more time!
Mental health is a topic much discussed in contemporary media and culture, and as such, is an appropriate one to explore in the theatre. While Hamda Elmi’s self-created play Get Well Soon cracks open the door to an important conversation, it does not go far enough in detailing the implications of the scenario that it presents regarding this issue. Featuring three female university students who have all gathered together in the school psychologist’s office for a therapy session, the play makes an overt comment on the quality of mental health resources in an academic context. The women initially wait awkwardly in silence before the psychologist arrives, only to break the ice among themselves and informally start their session.
The students each open up about their struggles, tapping into their deeply held feelings to do so. This act of opening is presented both by the use of a projection screen behind the actors and a voice-over from the character in question to magnify the degree of their internal conflict. I personally felt that this technique was a bit superficial, in that the music and generic images used served to over-dramatize the characters’ stories somewhat. Even more troubling is the portrayal of the school psychologist (when he does show up) as a wholly condescending and unsympathetic figure. While there are no doubt deficiencies in the mental health services of universities that the experiences of the women attest to, the blatantly dismissive attitude of the psychologist comes off as a caricature. The main weakness of Get Well Soon, however, is that it finishes far too early for there to be meaningful reflection on the characters’ experiences. Running only for about 25 minutes, no time is had for the play to truly go deep into the issue of mental health. Which is a shame, since this is definitely a subject that merits serious attention.
Get Well Soon continues until June 23 in the LabO venue as part of the Ottawa Fringe Festival. For information and tickets, see https://ottawafringe.com/shows/get-well-soon/