That’s Not My Name – Hen and Chickens Theatre

That’s not my name Is a powerful solo performance by Sammy Trotman as she is delving through the maze of living with a diagnosis. She is funny, sharp and thought-provoking. Sammy centres her personal experience and uses her keen observation to her advantage. She can create memorable characters like the nurse who hates their work at a psychiatric hospital to a child expressing intense emotions. The collection of stand-alone pieces leaves you on the edge of your seat, as one is not sure if one is empathetically laughing at a private mental breakdown, sniggering at another’s misery or resonating at a behaviour we observe in oneself.

Sammy’s observations span intergenerational trauma, reactions of loved ones to mental illnesses and co-dependent relationships. Her observations are astute, mixed and delivered compellingly with changes in light and music. Sammy is superbly supported by Alexis Steele, Scott ward and Matt Bamford in recreating characters, a bit of choreographed dance that adds to the humour and wit. Sammy can also reflect on her privilege of class, generation and ethnicity to create work that appears to be shooting from the hip but is well thought out and nuanced in its observations.

Don’t bother to try and categorise this provocative piece of art. ‘That’s not my name’ invites one to leave our labels and diagnosis at the door and truly listen to how one person chooses to show up for themselves again and again each day. I sincerely hope more mental health professionals worldwide can access this critical work and chime into an essential conversation about the conventions of the patriarchal and capitalist lens pervading the mental health care ecosystem. Covered in Jam started as an online comedy sketch account and now facilitates non-neuro-normative work. The team hosts ‘The Sticky bits’, a bi-monthly scratch night showcasing new work from emerging artists at the Pen Theatre. https://www.thepentheatre.com/

Reviewer: Anisha Pucadyil

Reviewed: 10th March 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★

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