Joanna Bending plays the part of a woman succumbing to Alzheimer’s, as she tries to piece together the fragments of her past so that she may look towards her future. This dramatic monologue is acted out with careful poise and elegance, given that many lines are crude and the script can be confusing. I often felt perplexed as to where this speech was going, and what exactly the woman was talking about, which was the point; the writing reflected the disorientation and confusion for the audience that the protagonist felt. Lines intended to be humorous mostly didn’t work, because of the dark nature of the material, and because the acting lent itself far more to that side of the performance.

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-27 Aug (not 15), 1.55 pm.
tw rating 3/5 | [Joe Mountford-Smith]