Hysteria - Emily Phillips Interview

When 19th-century undercover journalist Nellie Bly feigns insanity to investigate the appalling conditions faced by patients at a psychiatric asylum, her journey blurs the line between investigation and identification. As relationships develop, tempers fray, and systems of power are laid bare, Nellie struggles to remain objective when faced with the stories of Moll Flanders, Zelda Fitzgerald, Sylvia Plath and Marsha P. Johnson, as they highlight the systemic abuse women have received throughout history.  

Hysteria is a haunting and politically charged play that examines the boundaries between madness and sanity and who ultimately decides where these lie.

We caught up with director Emily Phillips to learn more. 

Hysteria sounds both compelling and relevant. Can you tell us what initially drew you to Nellie Bly’s story and why you felt it was important to highlight her journey? 

I was immediately struck by Nellie Bly’s courage and audacity as a young woman in the 19th century willingly entering a mental asylum to expose its horrors was an act of both journalism and rebellion. Her story feels timeless because it confronts questions about who gets to define “madness” and whose voices are silenced. In an age where women’s experiences are still often dismissed or pathologised, revisiting her journey felt not only urgent but necessary. I wanted to explore her spirit, her empathy, intelligence and risk through a historically complex lens that reveals how far we’ve come, and how far we haven’t.

You mention the “blurred lines” between investigation and identification. Can you elaborate on how you portray this complexity in the play? 
As Nellie immerses herself in the asylum, the act of pretending begins to unravel, and we begin to ask where does performance end and reality begin? We play with that instability through shifting perspectives, fragmented narratives and physical expression. The audience is invited to question whether Nellie is observing madness or being consumed by it. The blurring of those lines mirrors how empathy and obsession, curiosity and complicity, can so easily intertwine. It’s less about finding clear answers and more about sitting in that ambiguity.

There’s a clear emphasis on the themes of madness and sanity in Hysteria. How do you navigate these concepts, especially considering their historical context?
We approached “madness” not as a medical condition, but as a cultural construction, one deeply tied to gender, power and fear. In the 1880s, women could be institutionalised for little more than nonconformity or emotional intensity. By framing those historical attitudes alongside modern echoes, we expose how language and authority have long been used to control behaviour. At the same time, we wanted to honour the humanity of those given these labels, their humour, their resilience, their yearning for connection.

The cast in rehearsals.

Your work has been described as blending playfulness with emotional depth. How do you achieve that balance in such a serious subject matter?

For me, playfulness isn’t the opposite of seriousness, it’s a way of accessing truth. Humour, rhythm, and surreal imagery allow us to approach difficult material from unexpected angles. In Hysteria, moments of absurdity or irony become release valves, but they also heighten the emotional impact when the tone shifts. It’s about creating contrast: the laughter that catches in your throat, the beauty that makes the horror sharper.

Coming from a musical background, how important is it that you blend movement, text and music for a piece like this? You’ve worked on diverse projects and with various organisations. How does your experience shape your approach to direct Hysteria?

It’s absolutely essential. Music and movement are emotional languages that let us communicate what words can’t. In Hysteria, the rhythm of Nellie’s heartbeat, the hum of the institution, the choreography of their ritual routine days. All these elements work in conversation. They create a kind of sensory tapestry that captures the chaos and vulnerability of her experience. The musicality of the piece helps us slip between internal and external worlds, sanity and hysteria, seamlessly. 

What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
It was actually an Edinburgh Fringe cult classic, Shakespeare for Breakfast, that really stuck with me, at my first ever Fringe in 2015 as a mere 11 year old. I remember sitting there with a scolding hot chocolate and free croissant, completely entranced by their 55 minute effervescent version of Hamlet. The performers were witty, fearless, and made Shakespeare feel exciting and alive in a way I’d never imagined possible (especially at such a young age). I owe my ongoing love for Shakespeare to that show, and feel privileged that I was enlightened to how brilliant his work is and how witty and connective it could be, at such a young age. I went back every year for 9 years! It was cheeky and chaotic and somehow still full of heart. That experience opened my eyes to what theatre could be! Playful, inclusive, and electrifying. In many ways, that’s still what I strive for as a director: to create work that feels immediate and alive, that invites the audience in with humour and energy, even when exploring darker or more complex themes. 

What keeps you inspired? What do you hope audiences will take away from the experience of seeing Hysteria?
I’m constantly inspired by people who dare to question, whether that’s artists, activists, writers who refuse to accept the given narrative. Hysteria is for them. I hope audiences leave feeling unsettled, provoked, but also connected, to Nellie, to the women who came before us, and to the ongoing struggle for truth and empathy. If they walk away questioning what “madness” really means, how much of the idea of ‘female hysteria’ we have actually left in the 80s when the word was abandoned, or even where their own lines of sanity lie, then we’ve done our job.

Hysteria plays at The Golden Goose Theatre from the 18th until the 22nd of November 2025. Tickets are available from https://www.goldengoosetheatre.co.uk/whatson/hysteria

In rehearsals.