In early August Jackie Ashley took the Guardian by storm with her article on caring for her husband. In light of this the themes of BUST seem timelier than ever. The four 30-somethings are hit with a series of real life issues ranging from cancer to accidents to child loss. The politics of who cares for who and what sacrifices are made are complex.
Statistics show that three in five
people in the UK will be carers at some point in their lives, and we therefore
feel raising awareness is important. According to the Carers Trust:
The 2011 census shows that one in ten residents in England and
Wales – 5.8 million people – are spending at least part of their week caring
for disabled, sick or elderly relatives or friends. This equates to around 10%
of the population and is an 11% rise from the 5.2 million carers recorded in
2001.Taking into account the likely underestimate of young carers and hidden
carers (Those who do not recognize themselves as carers or receive access to
support), Carers Trust believes that there are in total around seven million
carers in the UK.
We will be donating 10% of our ticket
sales to the Carers Trust, and using the show as an opportunity to promote
the work they do. We believe that theatre remains a useful medium to approach
issues like these, and has a social obligation not merely to entertain, but to interact
with and give back to the society in which it takes place.
We recognize that caring and disability can be a very personal subject. People may applaud or disapprove of the decisions of the characters; the play does not suggest a right way forward but leaves room for the audience to consider and debate.