‘Earthing our roots, as we move, react, and create.’
Wellbeing in Theatre
Wellbeing support for playwriter and producer - Research and Development Workshop:
August 2025
Offering a safe and creative holding environment that enabled participants to share intimate and vulnerable life experiences with honesty and openness. The playwright's work often explores nuanced existential emotions and brings these experiences to the stage. Nikita provided therapeutic holding throughout the process, supporting both the group and the creative exploration of these sensitive themes.
As the playwright's work often engages with complex existential themes and challenging emotional experiences, wellbeing support was embedded throughout the process to ensure both participants and facilitators felt appropriately supported. Nikita worked alongside the creative team to provide therapeutic containment for the group, while also offering a reflective space for the playwright before and after the workshop sessions.
Support included risk assessment around the themes being explored, the development and facilitation of wellbeing housekeeping guidelines, emotional safety considerations for participants, and tailored signposting to relevant support services following the workshop. Taking moments between discussions and explorations to engage in creative grounding activities helped support participants' emotional wellbeing and ensure their emotional safety was considered throughout the process. This collaborative approach helped foster a compassionate and ethically informed environment in which meaningful creative exploration could take place.
Lead Wellbeing Practitioner – Good Chance Theatre Company with Gecko Physical Theatre Company: ‘From Here On’:
August 2024
Nikita provided ad hoc wellbeing support to cast members aged 11-25 who had experienced displacement, including asylum seekers and refugees.
Nikita offered one-to-one therapeutic support during rehearsals, as requested, as well as on performance days and post-show, both in person and online. When appropriate, she was present within rehearsals to provide additional support, while also creating a calm and contained space where cast members could relax, recentre themselves, process emotions, discuss concerns, or explore issues affecting them throughout the rehearsal and performance process.
Lead Wellbeing Practitioner – The Shakespeare's Globe: Antony and Cleopatra
July 2024
Nikita provided holistic wellbeing support to the cast of Antony and Cleopatra at Shakespeare's Globe. As a bilingual production incorporating both spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL), Nikita was able to offer support in both languages through her Level 3 BSL training, working alongside interpreters when required.
She was present throughout rehearsals to provide additional wellbeing support, while also creating a calm and contained space where cast members could relax, reflect, process emotions, discuss concerns, or explore issues affecting them throughout the rehearsal and performance process. This dedicated space offered opportunities to move, listen to music, or simply spend time in a quieter environment. It was particularly beneficial for Deaf cast members, helping to reduce visual fatigue and provide a restorative space away from the demands of rehearsal.
Nikita also provided a reflective space for cast members to explore their relationship to the characters they were portraying, particularly where the themes of the production resonated with their own personal experiences. This enabled performers to process any personal impact of the material, helping them to remain grounded, present, and fully engaged throughout the rehearsal process.
In addition, she remained available to facilitate group wellbeing sessions in response to any sensitive or challenging themes that emerged during rehearsals, providing timely support for the creative team when needed.
