.
Banana. Crabtree. Simon. It’s not an easy title to remember, is it? But if you can remember these three words then you are not going mad…well according to Alan.
Alan seems angry. His wife, Emily thinks he has dementia. And its all because he forgot which was the hallway light switch. Okay he did it four nights running but still, does that really matter in the great scheme of things?
This powerful and moving monologue had me in tears. The script is so poignant to anyone who has been touched by dementia. It takes you on a journey, from when you start to forget the odd thing and develops over time to a point when you cannot remember or recognise family and you feel that people are stealing from you as you know how much money was in your wallet.
CJ De Mooi was exceptional as Alan. He gave such a powerful performance that I was wiping away a tear one moment and laughing when he told me not to Google any disease or you will think you have them all. Speaking with CJ after the show, he told me he has done lots of research for this role. It clearly shows and his hard work has paid off. If this show had been filmed, I am pretty sure CJ would be nominated for a Bafta. Its so much better than anything else I have seen on dementia and the acting could not be bettered. CJ was sublime. And I say this as someone who knows. I am someone touched by dementia. My grandmother had dementia, and I watched her slowly drift away, bit by bit. This play shows how it is like from the perspective of a person living with dementia.
This is an outstanding performance of a play that will move you. Written by David Hendon, this monologue has its world premiere at Milton Keynes Chrysalis Theatre. Tonight we were treated to seats on the stage which felt so personal and emotional. I cannot recommend this show enough!!
More information is available here.
