December 1, 2011
Intergalactic Travel Bureau @ BBC Stargazing
Come find us at our Intergalactic Travel Bureau at Stargazing LIVE, hosted by the BBC in Charlton Park in Greenwich, London, this Tuesday January 16, 2012.
Read more about what our friendly agents will have in store for you in this New Scientist write-up of the last time our bureau was open for business, at the Royal Astronomers’ Ball in October.
November 27, 2010
Secret science in the cuckoo’s nest
As the nights got longer we left our summer themes of hedonism, escape and the wonders of the universe behind, choosing instead to delve into the history of psychiatry and our states of mind with the folk @Secret Cinema.
Getting acquainted with the psychosurgical side of mid-20th century psychiatric practices was eye-opening and downright disturbing. We interviewed practicing psychiatrists who had personal experience of actually administering ECT from the 1970s to now about their experiences. Responses ranged from “it’s horrible to administer” to “we only use it as a last resort,” but ultimately “we can’t deny that in some cases it is life-saving.”
Listen to Maurice and Mark share their thoughts on ECT.
In the context of the film, ECT was used as punishment – no anaesthetic, no muscle relaxant, no consent. These humane touches were developed in later on. Mark informed us that seizures induced by electricity applied to the brain could sometimes result in a broken spine as back muscles (the most powerful in the body) contracted so hard they fractured vertebrae…
Doctor Jon as seen through the waiting room blind
The connotations between this use of electricity for punishment (as seen in the film) make ECT seem very dark indeed. As to exactly how ECT works, a range of theories exist, but no one is really sure. Our investigations into lobotomy practices of the period to inform our lobotomy training session were even more worrying…
November 26, 2010
One flew east, one flew west…
A fantastically creepy showreel of the Secret Cinema’s staging of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, featuring our own Experimental Ward and electroconvulsive therapy treatment (at the hands of actor Jon Chartres, our “doctor” for the evening) starting about 1:25 in.
By independent filmmaker Turan.
November 25, 2010
Mike Mike Mike
Official photographer for the Secret Cinema, the marvelous Mike Massaro (alias Mike Mike Mike), has sent some treasured images our way from our Experimental Ward in the Secret Cinema’s presentation of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. We covet his skills (and his equipment).
A marvelous brain, dissected for your tasting pleasure...
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