The Nature of Forgetting
Connaught Theatre, Worthing
10-11 May 2018
The Nature of Forgetting is a spellbinding piece of work brought to the Connaught theatre by London-based international Theatre Re company combining energetic physical theatre with mime and contemporary dance, all supported on stage by haunting live music. It runs for 75 minutes without an interval.
The play covers the difficult subject of dementia. The piece is centred around the main character, Tom, being helped to get ready for his 55th birthday party by his daughter Sophie. It becomes apparent he is struggling with his memory loss when he cannot remember her name and struggles to put in his jacket that she has set aside for him. The play opens up to reveal an insight into his confused mind recollecting key events from his past life in a haze, stunningly delivered by the energetic cast. The staging is simple yet dramatic with atmospheric lighting. The four cast members take us on Tom’s confused journey of recollection of his childhood, school years, graduation, falling in love, marrying and the birth of his daughter all in mime and cleverly, any spoken words are inaudible to the audience which is how humans remember events rather than actual conversations. Rather than be a depressing play, it offers a reflection of joyous human experiences and the closing scene is a warm lucid moment.
The Nature of Forgetting is thought-provoking and offers the audience an insight into what it could be like to have dementia. The cast’s passion and warmth was felt by everyone with an open invitation to meet them in the foyer and pose any questions evoked from seeing the play.
Reviewer: Sandra Jenkins
☆☆☆☆
The Nature of Forgetting performed by TheatreRE is being performed at The Connaught Theatre in Worthing until 11 MAy and then continues on its tour
Tickets for Worthing CLICK HERE