The real life experiences of people living with early onset dementia have been used to produce a new theatre performance which takes a radical look at the condition and the affect it has on relationships.
The Ties That Bind, by Skimstone Arts, uses an uplifting combination of performance, original music and striking visuals to tell the story of Paul, a sound engineer whose world is changing as the early stages of dementia begin to affect his personal relationships.
Claire Webster Saaremets, Artistic Director at Skimstone Arts, said: “This piece won’t be what people might expect to see when they attend a performance about dementia.
“The commissioned work by Edinburgh University is based on key findings from a research project about changes in social groupings, along with stories collected from those who have personal experience of living with the condition.
“The Ties That Bind weaves in elements of what we learnt through our conversations and research, as we follow Paul’s story in what is an ultimately uplifting piece of narrative theatre.”
The multidisciplinary performance explores the effect the early stages of dementia can have on people’s friendships and relationships, and asks what it is that binds us to family and other people. What new stories can we weave that enable us to release old friends and join new ones?
The work was commissioned by Edinburgh University and is informed by a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and Alzheimer Scotland.
Whitespace 76 |76 East Crosscauseway | EH8 9HQ| 3-9 August and 21-23 August |15.20
Tickets are available now from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe box office: www.tickets.edfringe.com.
