Like all Vamos Theatre productions, A Brave Face is a full mask theatre show born of real life stories. Originally inspired by Matthew Green’s book Aftershock, A Brave Face has been created from over two years of extensive research into Post Traumatic Stress in the military, during which we met, talked and worked with ex- and serving soldiers and their families, as well as mental health practitioners, journalists, and staff from organisations such as Help for Heroes, Veterans First and the pioneering Recovery Centre, Chavasse VC House. Full mask theatre is wordless, which may seem a tricky medium to use to address intensely emotional subjects like PTS, but working without words actually creates a personal kind of communication, in which difficult issues can be more easily approached. Because the words aren’t there, each audience member creates their own story internally and it encourages a real emotional connection with the characters. A Brave Face cast includes renowned mask actor James Greaves and former Cirque de Soleil performers Joanna Holden and Sean Kempton. The show opens at London International Mime Festival in February 2018, followed by a full UK tour and European dates. It is a co-production with Mercury Theatre Colchester and a co-commission with London International Mime Festival, supported by Arts Council England, Worcestershire County Council, Worcestershire Arts Partnership and The Elmley Foundation.
