Life pretty much went “tits up” for Dr Farida Anderson MBE and Dr Julie Wray when they were diagnosed with breast cancer. They lost confidence, self belief and struggled with their identities.
But now Farida and Julie have joined forces to create Tits Up, a gritty theatre show coming to the King’s Arms in Salford, 6-7 July, as part of Greater Manchester Fringe.
They put together their own theatre show based on their music playlists, scribbles, a blog and poems written during treatments – hoping that by discussing their experience they would help people who have had cancer to feel less alone and isolated.
Dr Julie Wray, who used to work in the School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences at the University of Salford, said: “The everyday discourse of fighting or battling cancer was not useful at all. In the show we highlight and challenge such discourse in a funny and sensitive way.
“When a person is diagnosed with cancer, it is often seen as a ‘fight’ or ‘battle’ – cancer, we’re coming to get you! After treatment is finished you are a ‘survivor’ who has ‘won’ the fight. However, recovery is not an A-to-B process, and after cancer your life doesn’t just go back to normal.
“You’ve been through a traumatic experience, and the pressure to be positive, to have recovered, can sometimes be isolating. Theatre is a brilliant way of sharing stories and encouraging discussions – sometimes in the bar after the show.”
Julie co-founded FACT (Fit After Cancer Treatment) with Farida, from Prestwich, who often spoke to Julie’s students about her charity Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group and has a women’s centre named after her in Oldham.
The daughter of a Somali immigrant, Farida has also chaired the Black Prisoners’ Support Group – and won the Best Black Urban Business in the North West award for her Caribbean catering business Buzzrocks. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters at the University of Salford in 2016.
Meanwhile Julie, who is originally from Colne Valley, near Huddersfield, was a journal editor, book author, researcher, as well as a lecturer, before she had to give up her academic career after a second cancer (colon) diagnosis in 2016.
She said: “It was unrelated to breast cancer, just bad luck! I retired in 2017, as part of my recovery, to follow my dream to act. I have been in several plays at the Lowry Theatre and my creative side is flourishing!”
Julie has worked with Heald Green Theatre Company, Delaney Theatre Company and Mad Theatre Company, who will also be a Greater Manchester Fringe this year with Me, You and George Clooney (26-27 July at King’s Arms in Salford).
She added: “Tits Up also gives health professionals an insight into how patients experience treatment. Some of the stories in the show discuss difficult experiences with health professionals.
“It also encourages people to advocate for their own treatment and the treatment of friends and family. Some of the stories emphasise how hard this kind of advocacy can be in the moment.”
• Tickets for Tits Up are available from Greater Manchester Fringe.
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