An Evening with Dementia

21st March 2013

Lyth Arts Centre

Drama - Westgarth Productions in "An Evening with Dementia"
Sun 14th Apr. 8pm

Along with other Highland promoters, we saw this play at last year's Fringe and invited the company to undertake a Highland tour. So it gives us great pleasure to start our season on a very high note indeed with a moving piece of drama both written and performed by Trevor T. Smith, a most gifted ex-Royal Shakespeare Company actor. This is an exceptional one-man show exploring an important subject with great compassion in an unforgettable way. You are likely to learn more and feel more comfortable about dementia in this one hour that you might in any other way.

‘An Evening with Dementia' enlightens, inspires and reveals what someone with dementia might want others to understand if he/she could be the teacher. Poignant yet humorous - it is the story of disempowered old age. The wryly intelligent text allows us to empathise with a disease which is usually left in the shadows, alongside those whom it affects. This touching, amusing play gives it a voice, a character and a heart.

‘Insightful and undercut with a surprisingly upbeat sense of humour' (Scotsman)

‘A love letter to the wonders of a life well-lived' (Daily Express)

‘Trevor T Smith returns to the Fringe as the befuddled but intelligent geriatric who has his own methods of dealing with his all-consuming dementia. His turn as the aged actor re-using his skills to convince us that he still has his marbles is as heartbreaking and clever as ever. From the repetitions of sentences to his stories of his past, all held together with gossamer threads, it's a truly unique and soulful piece of theatre. The performance still lingers on as one of my favourite Fringe shows and a performance that should be required viewing by anyone who has any ties to elderly people in care'?
(Graeme Strachan, British Theatre Guide )

‘Convincing, magnificent performance, funny and moving' (The Skinny )

‘Beautifully written, overflowing with subtle nuances, Smith is clearly a talented playwright and performer' (Three Weeks, Edinburgh )

‘It's an arresting monologue with just the right balance of humour and dejection. Smith, an accomplished actor, is riveting in his role. He gives such a great performance that, when he gets out of his chair to have a walk around, it's all you can do to stop yourself rising to give him a hand down a step. He continually repeats facts about his life - like "I used to be an actor, you know" - and by the end, people are nodding as you might when talking to an elderly relative. The show really strikes a chord with the audience - young and old. But it's not depressing: rather, it's extraordinarily life-affirming and a real Fringe highlight away from the usual big venues. (Fest )