A moving love story capturing the frustrations and resilience required when lives are changed by dementia with its resultant shifts in memory and identity.Rating
Good
A love story. Not the usual type though, this one is filtered through the lens of one party suffering from dementia. The tale is brought to life by a cast of four; Man (Steve Hay), Woman (Jenny Johns), Boy (Jonny Darnell) and Girl (Jennifer Barton).
Clever costume choices give an early subtle hint of the relationships between the characters which is further indicated by the use of small props. All a bold red, apparently a good colour to use for enhancing visibility and drawing attention to objects. It also happens to be one character’s favourite colour, ‘favourites’ being another way to tap into long term memory and identity, something referenced throughout the play; favourite songs; soup; smells; film, which in this instance is ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’. An excellent choice not just because it is a good story but because it mirrors what can be experienced by someone suffering from dementia. It’s an unsettling transformation where someone looks the same but whose personality and memories seem to have been replaced with something different.
Intertwined with the dementia portrayal is the love story. Boy desperately wants to meet Girl but is having difficulty plucking up the courage until finally an opportunity to speak to her appears. Man and Woman relationship is one where Woman becomes the caregiver, struggling to cope with her changed partner; repetitive behaviour, disappearances, and sudden changes in mood and personality. The strain of doing so is portrayed wonderfully by Johns, alongside a growing desperation captured perfectly in an outburst of emotion wishing the two had never met. Hay conveys the highs and lows of dementia convincingly, showing moments of clarity, confusion and frustration. Darnell’s wide eyed innocence makes Boy quietly endearing and Barton’s Girl hints at an inner core of strength.
Projections at the back support what is happening on stage, especially the clips of the Murmurations of the title. These demonstrate just how ‘other worldly’ they can seem and how easily it would be to get completely absorbed watching them. Music and sound are similarly used well, swelling to a peak of emotional intensity. The rest of the set consists of wooden slatted packing boxes moved around as necessary and used to excellent effect for Girl’s first appearance.
An exploration of love trying to endure through difficult times brought about by cognitive decline, The Murmuration of Starlings is effective in bringing together the love story and the disorientation dementia brings. It balances tenderness, humour and heartbreak, ultimately giving us a portrait of a couple doing their best to survive as memories fade and personalties change.
Written and directed by Joe Graham
Produced by Balancing Act
The Murmuration of Starlings plays at Seven Dials Playhouse until Saturday 14 March.
