Outpatient

In 2018, the writer and actor Harriet Madeley found out that she was going to die.

At least, that’s what she heard when a doctor diagnosed her with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a progressive disease for which there is no medical treatment, no cure, poor understanding and a long list of frightening Google stats..

None of her loved-ones knew how to respond to this bombshell. Her best friend kept crying. Her parents preferred not to talk about it. And her fiancée? She took it upon herself to cure the thing.

In the midst of a confrontation with looming death, Harriet’s closest relationship began disintegrating.

Harriet's response? To write a comedy about it.

This is the story of how Harriet used her creativity to come to terms with a life-changing diagnosis, and how it helped her to rebuild her relationships and decide how to face the future.

The play featured (slightly) fictionalised versions of the people closest to her. The script was a monologue, in which her own flaws and those of her loved-ones are magnified for the paying audience.

But how will those loved-ones respond? Will they be horrified? Or will the play force a meaningful conversation at last?

Harriet is still alive and kicking, facing a finite future. But then again, aren’t we all?

Writer: Harriet Madeley
Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Sound Design: Micky Curling and Bella Kear
Voices of theatre team: Madelaine Moore, Mark Knightley, Jessica Clark
With heartfelt thanks to Abi Mowbray
Photo: Karla Gowlett

A PRA production for BBC Radio 4