Mark Farrelly has supported Terrence Higgins Trust over the years by holding collections at his one-man show Jarman. We spoke to Mark about why he supports us.
What inspired you to support our work?
I was inspired by the incredible track record of Terrence Higgins Trust over four decades of helping people, its bold ambition to end new HIV transmissions in the UK by 2030, and the friendliness and openness of everyone I've had contact with on my fundraising journey.
You support the charity by holding collections at your solo show Jarman. What does the show and Derek Jarman mean to you?
Derek Jarman was a peerlessly inspirational artistic powerhouse of a human. His spirit is still intensely powerful, and the show tries to channel some of that energy. His life is surprisingly unexplored, and I want to show a new generation his example of making art without restrictions, of living fearlessly, and of being astonishing. Derek's journey with HIV and AIDS is also crucial to recount.
In his lifetime, there was no truly effective treatment, and there were vast amounts of prejudice. He faced these twin perils with extraordinary good humour and optimism. It's so poignant to reflect that, had Derek lived for two more years (he died in 1994) he would have made it to the age of combination therapy and survived. As it is we lost him aged just 52.
How do the audience react to Derek’s story?
In remarkable ways. With laughter, tears, wonder, shock... it's never dull performing this show! It's a joy to see people's reactions to Derek. And many people who knew him or nursed him have told me the most stunning stories after a performance.
For many I shunned reading Derek's diaries (Modern Nature and Smiling in Slow Motion) because I feared they would be too depressing, covering the last five years of his life when he was dying painfully. How wrong I was. The voice within those pages took me on a journey of courage and hope, and I realised I wanted to share that with the audience. It's been one of the best artistic decisions of my life.
From your experience, how has living with HIV and the issues around it changed over the years?
It seems to me that things have changed on an unimaginable scale. Things are so much better than those terrifying days of the 1980s, though I do feel there's a lot of work still to be done, hence my determination to fundraise. It's early days, but over £5,000 has been contributed by audience members so far, and I hope that there's plenty more to come.
Why should other people consider supporting people affected by HIV and our work?
Because if human beings are struggling or suffering in any way, then it's incumbent on all of us to help. We can't just say 'that's not my problem'. We work best when we work together, when we see suffering as a universal issue, and step in to help.
Mark and Jarman are currently touring the country. Find out more information and the latest dates.
