An expertly crafted unflinching portrayal of the NHS mental health services

Sophia Chentin-Leuner’s play This Might Not Be It, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, boldly depicts the deterioration of the NHS mental health services, and serves an honest, unflinching portrayal of the unfortunate lives at the mercy of this system. Our NHS is crumbling, with budget cuts and underpaid workers, and a government who doesn’t seem to take mental health with the seriousness that it deserves, the system is failing many young people in need. Relatable characters, mundane office life, moral dilemmas and more weave together to expose the cracks in this system, and pose questions about where the lines should be drawn when it comes to offering much needed support. 

Angela (Debra Baker) has dedicated 35 years of her life to her role as an administrator in NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. She knows every patient by name, she’s seen it all, she’s steadfast in her routines and though her office may appear cluttered, it houses a system that she insists works perfectly (at least for her it does). Nothing fazes Angela. Well, not until the new temp Jay (Denzel Baidoo) shows up, potted plant in hand and eager to help. Jay is young, he’s used to caring for people, he spends all his time doing it, so why wouldn’t he reach out to a person in need? But when Jay tries to help troubled 17-year-old Beth (Dolly Webb) he crosses a professional boundary, and discovers the reality of what is truly at stake. 

Chentin-Leuner’s complex and nuanced characters are skillfully brought to life by the cast. Baker makes an impressive Angela, endearing, no-nonsense, set in her ways, sharing the occasional anecdote between mouthfuls of tea and ciggie breaks. Meanwhile, Baidoo’s performance is filled with emotional depth. When we first meet Jay he is brimming with youthful energy and optimism, but as he learns more about the way CAMS functions the burden of responsibility and caregiving becomes too much, he gradually gives up on his initial goals. 

Ed Madden has done a fantastic job directing the cast of three. Initially Angela and Jay butt heads, struggling to communicate efficiently and relate to one another across a generational divide (even so far as their differing musical tastes). But I found myself captivated as the pair’s relationship evolved from reluctant co-workers and they learnt to listen to each other. There’s laughter, betrayal, embarrassment, and ultimately, heartwarming friendship.

Webb makes her strong professional debut as the young Beth, a troubled seventeen year old approaching adulthood, about to lose the service which she relies on simply because she is coming up to her eighteenth birthday. Her silent tears and disinterested, stubborn facade reflect the vulnerability of multitudes of young people stuck on years-long waiting lists, and though her character only makes occasional appearances, she is imperative to the narrative.

Alys Whitehead’s set design is a perfect mirror of a health care administrative office in need of an efficiency make-over. Two desks face away from each other, with functioning computers and printers, and files piled high on every surface. The creative detail of the carpet stretching up on the back wall scattered with bits of stationery and a waste-paper bin adds to the depiction of a somewhat chaotic workspace and really makes the whole piece feel contained. Inset into the carpeted rear wall is a raised waiting room, complete with one of those wooden bead-maze toys that are a key part of any child’s memory of a British doctors or dentist’s waiting room. Lighting design by Laura Howard and sound by Max Pappenheim work hand-in-hand to create the office atmosphere, and make for interesting scene transitions. 

This Might Not Be It has been extended due to popular demand, and will now run until 7th March the Bush Theatre’s Studio space. This is a fantastic piece of theatre, and I look forward to seeing more of Sophia Chentin-Leuner’s writing on stage.