You don’t have to know Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy to enjoy this multi-layered piece. It’s ‘about’ many things, including the nature of theatre and individual perceived reality. More directly, it offers insight into dementia and the relationship between those affected and their relatives and carers. Writer and director Dan Colley assembles the material with great skill to make a technically accomplished and deeply affecting piece of theatre – which also illuminates the themes of age, madness and dysfunctional family relationships in ‘King Lear’ itself. Joy, a once-famous actor, is living with dementia. Her carer encourages her to live at ease within her theatrical memories. Conor, her abandoned son, reluctantly goes along with this until his own painful realities impose. Wonderful, insightful theatre.

Traverse Theatre, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Alan Cranston]