The Madness of Andrea Yates

“The Madness of Andrea Yates” tells the story of the American woman named Andrea Yates who drowned her five children in a bathtub in 2001. Yates’s mental illness led her to believe she was infected by the devil, her children were evil, and she must kill them to save their souls. The stigma of mental illness and poor US health care practices were among the reasons she never received the help she needed. Yates’s history of mental illness was extremely well-documented, including: two suicide attempts, post-partum depressions and multiple hospitalizations for psychosis, depression and self-mutilation.

Using expressionistic techniques, actual interviews, documented confessions and transcripts, critically acclaimed American company Cruel Theatre tells the unfortunate story of Yates’s life, from her marriage to Russell and her first bout with insanity up through her arrest and confession, in their UK debut production. “The Madness of Andrea Yates” offers the audience insight into the harrowing world of mental illness.

The majority of us Americans look to healthcare practices in the UK with envy--sick people are not ignored for financial reasons. However, the proposed budget cuts to the NHS are potentially very dangerous--particularly for the mentally ill. In fact, mental health services could be hit hardest. Deborah Woodhouse, co-founder of ACCT commented, “You would never cut cancer services, there would be an outcry but cutting mental health services - some people will be suicidal, and they may die. They shouldn’t be treated in this way.” (channel4.com/news/50-000-nhs-job-cuts-hit-mental-health-services). “The Madness of Andrea Yates” is an example of what can happen when severe mental illness remains untreated and patients do not receive the help they need; Cruel Theatre sincerely hopes that a situation such as this will never happen in the UK.

Writer/Director Taurie Kinoshita has been called one of the “most creative directors” in Honolulu, with Cruel Theatre winning the Best Theatre in Honolulu award for Honolulu Weekly, Village Voice, “pick of the week” for their final New York City production, and numerous other pieces of critical acclaim. David A. Rosenberg of Backstage.com said of the New York City production of “The Madness of Andrea Yates“, “Taurie Kinoshita creates a thrilling, moving piece of theatre… it's a powerful reminder of humanity's inescapable continuum.”