INFORMATION PAGE

OUR BACKGROUND

“Creativity lies at the heart of well-being”

Whether Gerald Maiello crossed the line between genius and madness we will never know but within a short time he had gathered many who shared his vision and the 'I Can’t Believe We’re Not Better' theatre company was born. A theatre company that began as a therapy for mental health service users within the hospital system in Hertfordshire. A chance for patients to help themselves, other patients and the hospitals to whom we owe so much. A chance to give something back.

Our founder, Gerald Maiello, with his victims.
Genius or madman?

OUR GROWTH

In addition, due to the outstanding success of our Ghost Walks, productions and work in schools and universities, over the last few years, we now find ourselves regularly commissioned to develop specialist projects. These include workshops on drug and alcohol misuse, personality disorders and the importance of creativity in mental illness treatment.

Flushed with success in the mental health arena, we have broadened our aims here too, striving to tackle mental illness in all strata of life, not just to the critical cases that end up in a hospital. We employ mental health service users to influence, develop and perform our work which is specifically developed to fulfil the need of the commissioning body. For a list of previous productions and workshops please follow this link workshops, plays and presentations. .

We try to show that mental health problems exist far more generally within society than believed and people shouldn’t be afraid of realizing this fact and getting help. We hold the view that mental illness is part of life and not the end of it. .

One of Gerald’s' followers with a new treatment tool.

OUR SUCCESSES

Don't just take our word for it - audiences and company members alike have expressed thanks for the help they have received in overcoming (or learning to live with) their mental health problems. These illnesses include depression, bi-polar disorders, alcoholism, psychotic episodes, long term schizophrenia, personality disorders and many others. Check out our members page and read about their experiences first hand. You'll also find plenty of glowing testimony on the feedback pages of our company newsletters, Better News.

Force feeding sessions for Gerald's followers begin.

OUR AIMS

As a group, we support long term mental health needs and encourage the creative development of all our members. Each week service users are encouraged to use drama to explore a range of subjects, which are then gradually, over the year shaped into productions.

The company was created from the outset as a forum to challenge perceived views of mental illness, educate the general public and give a much needed voice to service users and we feel proud of our accomplishments in this field, especially since everybody involved is a volunteer.

All is lost - only the firing squad awaits.

OUR FUTURE

Our patrons are Mark Rylance, Zoe Wannamaker and Richard Briars as well as Juliet Stephenson and Stephen Fry. we also count ourselves lucky in having support from Watford Borough Council, Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dame Judi Dench, NIMHE (National Institute for Mental Health in England) and Shakespeare’s Globe.

We have some exciting productions lined up for 2008 (please see forthcoming productions), as well as repeat business requests from satisfied customers who know us from old.

One of the most exciting recent developments is completion of our company web site, which has finally gone live. This will be an invaluable tool for several reasons.

• Easy access to information for our current customers.
• The ability to target new customers with an interest in the services we offer.
• Enhanced recruitment of new company members.
• An advertising medium for our plays, workshops and productions.
• A feedback forum - customers can easily let us know what they think of us:
• Raising our profile and getting our name recognised.

It seems even death cannot quell the madness.

Of course we will continue to promote mental health for all by working with individuals and communities. Our continued aim is to combat discrimination against individuals and groups with mental health problems and to promote social inclusion and we gladly work with SANE, MIND, RETHINK, The Manic Depressive Fellowship, MENSA and Alcoholics Anonymous in achieving this common aim. .

Here's to good mental health!