For Australian comedians, festival season is the biggest time of the year – the chance to showcase your finished work, win new fans and level up in your career. It can also be a draining whirlwind of activity, with long runs of shows, plenty of late nights and opportunities to socialise, plus the stressful prospect of financial loss and the pressure to make the most of the opportunity.
She says the industry is getting better at protecting the mental well-being of its performers, but it’s an ongoing conversation. ‘I think sometimes we pat ourselves on the back too early for acknowledging that [mental ill health] exists. We work in an industry with a mentality of “the show must go on”, where people are rewarded for pushing through and making it work. I know I’ve absolutely lived in that mindset. But we need meaningful and tangible strategies if a person can’t get out of bed that day.’
