The Quality of Mercy: Concerning the Life and Crimes of Doctor Harold Frederick Shipman was written and performed by Edwin Flay and follows the life of Harold Shipman from his early childhood until his death.
On the stage was a simple desk and a bed. It looks like a hospital but also a prison. The simplest use of stage design allowed the audience to be easily transported between both locations. As it is a one-man show, Shipman continuously has conversations where the other person is not on stage. However, even without a response, you knew exactly what they were saying. This highlights how Shipman only ever thought about himself, rather than what his impact would have on other people.
The backdrop of the stage was initially blank. Each time Shipman killed a victim, their name appeared on the screen. At several points in the performance, the screen went black, and when the names came back on, there were even more. By the end, there were over two hundred names. This poignant detail allowed for the audience to understand the speed that Shipman was killing his victims.
What I found particularly intriguing was how the writing allowed you to see the psychological perspective of Shipman. It focused on how he originally started killing individuals to remove the pain that they were in. But the play also shows how Shipman moved on from wanting to help people to developing a God complex which enabled him to choose who should die. In addition, he discusses the thrill that he would get from killing his patients. He refers to a patient who had complained about him, so he killed his father that Christmas. The performance opens up a conversation for the audience about who should dictate whether someone should die.
At the end of the performance, Shipman kills a woman named Renee. In the real world, Renee is Flay’s grandmother, a victim of Shipman aged just 63. Not only knowing that Flay had been personally affected by the crimes himself but watching him act out the moment his grandmother was murdered was a harrowing moment for the audience.
Chillingly, the play closes with original broadcasting audio. The audio allows us to hear of his suicide and reactions within society. Shipman’s suicide is discussed onstage with a noose being made. This detail would definitely be something to think about if you are deciding whether or not the show is right for you.
The Quality of Mercy: Concerning the Life and Crimes of Dr Harold Frederick Shipman is running at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall from 17:35, until 26 August, with the exception of 13 August. Tickets available:
Image provided to The Student as press material.