Shadow Puppet Performance Where are you now? Reflections on catastrophic brain injury - the vegetative and minimally conscious states

On 24 April 2015 the Chronic Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre hosted the inaugural public performance of a specially-commissioned show using shadow puppets.  This performance was the result of a collaboration between Karin Andrews Jashapara  (www.playoflighttheatre.co.uk) and Jenny Kitzinger and Celia Kitzinger, Co-Directors of the Chronic Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre (cdoc.org.uk). The voices were drawn from interviews conducted by Jenny and Celia as part of their research on catastrophic brain injury and these interviews have also been developed into an online resource to support families and health care practitioners (www.healthtalk.org.uk).

The 10-minute show was performed twice during the course of a conference, Brain Injury - the unseen and unknown, co-organised with Minster Law, and attended by more than 80 professionals working in law, health care, and social care.  Here are some reactions to the show.

• This show brings home the reality of the situation.  It helped me with understanding that brain injury continues to affect the family of the injured patient far beyond our involvement.  (Solicitor)
• Powerful performance - invites reflection on aspects of my work (Case Manager)
• It gave me a much deeper respect of the position family members are in and how as a therapist I could try and support them with uncertainties (Occupational therapist)
• Very moving.  My nephew suffered a catastrophic brain injury a year ago and died in intensive care a week later.  At the time I felt we should have persisted.  I'm not sure now.  (Physiotherapist)