22nd May Chalk

Some things are harder to sell than other, and a play about a man suffering from dementia certainly falls into that category. Chalk is one such play, written and performed by Nottingham based actor Simon Carter. 

Several months ago I was furtunate enough to see him perform the play over in Burton Joyce and thought it would be something worth trying to bring to this circuit and especially to Sherwood Methodist Church, who as part of their vision plan, hope to make their building / servces/ activities more demantia friendly. 

So last night I did and thankfully, people took a leap of faith and turned out in very good numbers to watch the performance which all takes place in the imagination of 40 year old Richard's imagination, whilst he is living in a care home for people living with dementia. I'll let that settle in...40 year old.

Outside in the real world its 2022, but for Richard it is 1979, he is a 10 year old schoolboy and he’s desperate to keep it that way. Richard’s illness makes him forget – so he’s decided to relive his childhood, rediscover the love he left behind, bring everything back one last time, all set to the musical soundtrack of his life, featuring songs everyone knew. But Richard knows that an invisible enemy is closing in and the clock is ticking. Can he communicate a final, urgent message to his family before all is lost?

It was a very powerful, thought provoking, challenging, funny, emotional and captivating performance by that held the audience enthralled. I don't think I have ever heard an audience so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. There were moments that made me laugh out loud, moment that made me tearful, moments that made me angry, moments that made me really stop and think. And I don't think I was alone in experiencing those emotions.

 

It was always going to be difficult sell and a challenging watch, after all the 'big D' is something that we often shy away from talking about, perhaps because we have seen the devastating effects it can have on those we love and perhaps because we are all worried that one day it might affect us. 

 

But it was a real privilige to be there and to be part of that shared experience. Hopefully it not only got people talking about dementia but also raised a considerable amount of money for the Alzheimer's Society in the process.

 

I felt drained just watching it so heaven only knows how Simon felt having lived out the performance in the flesh. Let's just hope he has recovered enough this morning to come and do his sales pitch the the Hucknall crowd where it is being staged again next Saturday night.

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