‘The Memory Project 2’ offers poignant insight into life with dementia

TheatreReview

Margaret touched her younger self’s face, shoulders, and arms, but didn’t recognise her.

With a bewildered look, the actress Carol Trinidad captured the grief is losing oneself to dementia in a moment of theatre that drew muffled sobs from the audience.

The immersive experience, The Memory Project 2, presented by The Movement Collective brought the audience into Margaret’s world to experience life with dementia.

Through movement and acting, the cast portrayed the grief and loss of dementia and Alzheimer’s in a touching and tasteful performance with raw emotion.

Inside GEMA Gallery, the performance begun with post-it notes handed out to the audience who were asked to remember what they had for lunch the day before, testing their memory.

Actors Amee Freyone, Charlie Bishop, Daniel Strain-Webber and Tim Seed then walked around asking questions individually to audience members.

“Have you sorted your car out? You should really get that sorted. Did Bassadone call?”

That moment of confusion when someone asks a question and the person is left stumped gave the audience a taste of what someone with dementia feels.

The 40-minute performance was spread across the vaults of the GEMA Gallery, with the audience ushered along by the actors.

Through movement, dancers Zoe and Nikki Bishop, Claire McGrail, Claire Olivero, Giovanna Garzon, and Francesca Hemmi depicted the chaos and confusion in the mind of a dementia patient.

Mother and daughter Carol and Claire Trinidad portrayed Margaret and her younger self.

The women mirrored and consoled each other, in a tender performance.

In a scene at a doctor’s office, Zoe asks a series of questions to Margaret, with both actresses Carol and Claire answering.

Margaret successfully answers the first questions, which were echoed by her younger self.

Then she is asked a question only present-day Margaret could answer: if she has grandchildren and how many?

Margaret’s younger self cannot respond, and her current self can hardly muster “yes”, let alone how many she has.

In another instance, dancers open cupboard drawers and frantically search the house.

These moments showed real-life scenarios for those with dementia.

As attendees walked into the GEMA Gallery for the intimate performance, they were handed blindfolds.

In the final scene, the audience were asked to sit down and put on the blindfolds.

The cast moved around, voicing fragments and pivotal moments of Margaret’s life.

It was a stunning performance.

The experience was successful in its endeavour to immerse the audience in the life of Margaret, striking a chord with those who have experienced dementia with loved ones.

From the outset, with actors questioning the audience, it brought that sense of confusion to each attendee, showing that this performance would be different.

Rather than presenting what dementia looks like, The Movement Collective gave the audience a small taste of what it feels like.

It was well paced, with the audience moving from vault to vault after every scene which provided a moving insight into Margaret’s condition.

The acting and dancing evoked emotion and the chaos someone with dementia could feel.

Carol and Claire gave a touching performance where, together, they brought the character of Margaret to life.

They portrayed Margaret as a multifaceted character who was slowly losing herself. It was tender and, at times, heart-breaking to watch.

The performance was in aid of the Gibraltar Alzheimer’s and Dementia Society (GADS).

Backstage crew, photography and videography included Jessica Pizarro, Tessie Bishop, Larissa Reyes, Dale Moreno and Jonathan Smith.