Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2014 | Page 35

ISLAND LIFE MAGAZINE

Reading to highlight dementia

T

he reading of a play, written
by acclaimed playwright Brian
Daniels and inspired by two
families involved in living with the
heart-breaking illness of dementia, is to
be performed on the Island November 18.
Two performances of 'Don't Leave
Me Now’ will take place at the Quay
Arts Centre, Newport. They will be the
final 'rehearsed readings' as the play is
expected to go into full production and
tour nationally in 2015.
Brian’s previous plays 'Where's
Your Mama Gone', 'A Big Day for the
Goldbergs' and 'The Good and the True'
have been produced nationally and
internationally. He is Artistic Director of
the New End Theatre Beyond and has
produced more than 200 new plays and
shows over the last 20 years.
Brian explained why he chose to write
a play on such a difficult subject, which
has affected so many families here on the
Island, and nationwide.
He said: “In 2011 I was asked by my
friend Rachael if I would read a journal
she had written about living with
dementia. Her long-term partner Irene
had developed this devastating illness
when she was in her 50s and in 2011 was
in full time care.
"I had known Irene when she was well;
a vibrant, charismatic, larger than life
English teacher. When I read Rachael's
journal I became acutely aware of the
terrible effects of this illness, not only on
the sufferer but
on those closest
to them and their
wider family and
friendship circle.
I asked Rachael
if Irene would
remember me if I
visited her in the
care home. I was
unprepared to
meet what Irene
had become. She
was confined to
a wheelchair, no
speech, her head
bowed and unresponsive to my visit or to
anyone else in the room. She was 64 years
old and would live another two years.

“I read Rachael's journal and learned a
great deal about the recognition of early
signs of dementia,
the mood swings,
the loss of motor
skills, the denial
routine and all the
time trying to 'keep
up appearances'.
I wanted to write
their story as a play.
“I also met Cindy
Toulman. Cindy,
who visited her
husband Chris
every day in the
care home. Chris
was confined to
bed, could no
longer speak or demonstrate any signs
of recognition, but still Cindy came

"In both stories there
was absolute devotion
based on love - I wanted
to ask whether the love
was diluted when duty
took over."

and talked to him all day, fed him and
nurtured him. It is doubtful he would
have known she was there at all.
“In both stories there was absolute
devotion based on love - I wanted to ask
whether the love was diluted when duty
took over. It appeared not to be. I wanted
to write a play inspired by these two
family units.
“I called the play 'Don't Leave Me Now'
after the Jacques Brel song 'Ne me Quitte
Pas' - it has connotations of taking leave
mentally, emotionally and physically. We
learn what our characters were like when
they were well and had everything to live
for. We never know what the future holds.”
Brian added: “When Lady Sally Grylls
heard about the play through her contact
with Dementia UK she attended a reading
and immediately wanted us to bring a
performance to the Isle of Wight.”
www.visitilife.com

35