'Do you believe that the soul is inviolate and cannot be corrupted?'

A Curious Dance is set in 1850 at The Refuge, a small private asylum in rural Suffolk. The superintendent, Dr John Hale, a pioneer of the 'non-restraint' method of care, has his deepest convictions tested as events in his personal and professional life unfold.

The play looks at a period of radical reform in the treatment and care of people with mental health issues. The characters of the play are based on real case studies and we would like to thank the Royal Bethlem Hospital Museum for their invaluable support.