M/Other—a New Play Opens in Lagos That Breaks the Silence on Maternal Mental Illness

M/OTHER, a new play exploring the isolation and stigma of maternal mental illness, will premiere next Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the Afropolis Festival at the John Randle Centre in Lagos.

The performance is produced by Nigeria’s QDance Company and Dutch theatre maker Katy Streek for As Equals, CNN’s gender inequality reporting project.

The 40-minute show will combine theatre and dance and is inspired and informed by As Equals’ journalism on post-partum depression and other mental health conditions that can affect anyone during pregnancy or in the first year after birth, including those with no previous experience of mental health problems.

It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 5 women experience some form of mental health issue during this time. But a widespread lack of knowledge, deeply entrenched stigma, and systemic gender and economic inequality mean that millions of people are estimated to go undiagnosed or untreated each year in high, middle, and low-income countries alike.

The premiere will be followed by two short post-show discussions where you can hear the creative team discuss the production and lead figures in maternal health in Nigeria and discuss the themes that emerge from the performance. At each show, information from Nigeria Health Watch on where to find support if affected by any of the issues in the play will be distributed.

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M/OTHER will also be performed four times in Lagos this November. There will be one more show at Afropolis on November 2 and two more, later in the month, at the Lagos Fringe Festival on November 21 and 22, 2024.

Tickets for all the events can be purchased at Afropolis and Lagos Fringe

M/OTHER is an opportunity to take CNN As Equals’ journalism off-platform and into real-life spaces; collaborating with cultural creators so that new audiences engage with its journalism in new and exciting ways.

As Equals is CNN’s ongoing series on gender inequality. Find out more about the series here. The performance will be;

Location: The Vibe Stage at Afropolis. The closest entrance is next to the City Mall and the TBS car park’

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