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| Geneviève Mnich in Savannah Bay. Photo: Rebecca Greenfield |
By Nora Tjossem
In November of last year, BAM gathered a packed audience in the Fishman Space for one of the most intimidating titles we’ve presented:
On Truth (and Lies) in Suicide. On the white-walled set of
Savannah Bay (a Marguerite Duras play performed by Paris’ Théâtre de l’Atelier as part of the 2015 Next Wave Festival) three scholars and writers intimately acquainted with matters of mental health gathered to discuss one of the most taboo subjects in contemporary America. The conversation ranged from the deeply personal to the widely philosophical, providing a much-needed space to talk both critically and empathetically about suicide and mental health.
This month, in honor of
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we at BAM would like to extend the conversation beyond our talk, joining a movement across the country to open up dialogue surrounding suicide. In the audio linked below, Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison and author Andrew Solomon speak openly about their personal experiences with mental health issues alongside philosopher Simon Critchley. Their frankness sets an example for talking about the difficult subject of suicide and demonstrates how crucial these conversations are.
Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately.
