Expulsion of Exulansis was performed at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
A description of the production is below, followed by a review by EMH member Sanskruti Biswal.
**Trigger Warning: Mentions Suicide**
Written and produced by a remarkable 18-year-old drama student, this true story delves into deeply personal experiences of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, offering a compelling journey of hope and resilience. The play's moving narrative resonates with teenagers who are battling their own mental health issues or supporting their friends, parents concerned about their children's well-being, and educators seeking insights into safeguarding students. Set against the backdrop of the growing mental health crisis among teenagers, the writer hopes to create an open dialogue, greater awareness and support for all, with plenty of tears and laughter.
The play Expulsion of Exulansis is based on the real-life story of the main character Siyani Sheth. The style of play that gripped me from the beginning was having Siyani reflect on the past trauma she had been through, in discussion with her current therapist on stage, where her previous years have been shown on screen played by other actors simultaneously. The raw and honest portrayal of one’s deepest struggles stirred my emotions. That someone can share this level of depth of the story of their life with the audience, so that others talk about issues they are facing, and not bottle it up, is moving to see.
With great writing and dialogue, the cast has justified the various roles they played, while Siyani walks us through different chapters in her life. The play touches on themes of suicide, self-harm, feelings of helplessness, and its effect on everyday things like lack of appetite, and ability to perform in class, where everything feels overwhelming. It also shows the lack of support from people meant to safeguard kids’ mental health and how that can make the person seeking help feel scared and alone. The doctor Siyani sees for example, is cold and strict in her response when the situation should have been dealt with compassion and understanding instead.
The play touched on various issues faced by teenagers that are often disregarded or taken lightly such as mood swings or suicidal thoughts. It is refreshing to see Siyani’s father in the story trying their best to make sense of Siyani’s experience and help her. The desperation parents feel in these situations has been portrayed beautifully. The story also shows Siyani in her moments of joy, laughing with her friends, making new friends and bonding with them.
Siyani’s interaction with her therapist in the current time shows much more kindness and the ability to listen without judgement, which is probably what we need the most when one is going through difficult times. This is a story of progress, and recovery, where towards the end of the play we see Siyani talking to her younger self. This had the audience in tears because the pain in understanding past versions of yourself that didn’t know what to do, comes out so clearly in this section. Siyani says to herself, ‘You’re wounded, not broken.’ and the delivery of this was so powerful and touching.
I would recommend this play to anyone who wants to talk and learn more about the many mental health issues we go through in our young life. Parents, teachers, and doctors can see the side of people and start conversations that allow kids to open up, either in therapy or in front of their peers, and take away the shame people feel when talking about their mental health. This play will have you relate in many ways, have you crying and definitely thinking about the need for more resources in our mental health services.
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Sanskruti (she/her) is the Communications and Engagement Officer for Edinburgh Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh. With an educational background in Science and Health Communication, as well as Biological Sciences, Sans is actively involved in public engagement with science. She is passionate about communicating science in creative ways with a strong interest in mental health research.Â
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Sans loves to chat about science communication and public engagement, so feel free to get in touch! LinkedINÂ | XÂ
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