Theatre Re, The Nature of Forgetting review ★★★★★
A piercing exploration of memory and its loss, Theatre Re's The Nature of Forgetting at Shoreditch Town Hall is one of the stand-out shows of the London International Mime Festival
The Nature of Forgetting, National Taichung Theatre Photo: Danilo Moroni
Tom is preparing for his 55th birthday party, though there's no excitement or anticipation in his demeanour. Overcome by early-onset Alzheimer’s, he sits on a chair, his shoulders slightly slumped, his face mostly expressionless, except when crossed by brief shadows of bewilderment.
Tom’s daughter Sophie is helping him to get dressed. She repeats, slowly and clearly, that his blue jacket is ready for him to put on, his red tie in the pocket. As she leaves, Tom cries after her: ‘Isabella!’
No more words are spoken. From then on, this vivid, fast-moving piece of physical theatre jumps from Tom’s present fog of perplexity to his past, through a rush of his life-long memories.
On Shoreditch Town Hall’s raised stage, two crowded clothes rails symbolise Tom’s memories, each chosen piece catapulting him into the past. Now he’s at school, where he’s caught the eye of a vivacious fellow pupil; now as a young adult he’s graduating from university; he marries his childhood sweetheart; and then tragedy strikes.
The piece is performed by four versatile actor/mimes: company director Guillaume Pigé as Tom, Louise Wilcox as his daughter Sophie and wife Isabella, and Eygló Belafonte and Calum Littley in a variety of subsidiary roles.They skilfully deploy simple props, primarily wooden chairs and desks/table, to set scenes.
As well, two extraordinary musicians, percussionist Nathan Gregory and composer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Judd provide a vibrant and atmospheric soundtrack.
Cleverly devised, the show doesn’t depict memories as linear and literal. Most memories are coloured by the passage of time, and Tom’s are further affected by his deteriorating brain. So, while scenes are clearly set so that viewers can follow the narrative, they are also often distorted, sometimes moving too fast, sometimes contradicting each other, in a dizzying maelstrom that Tom tries and fails to control.
One of the UK's leading visual theatre companies, Theatre Re was established in 2011 with the purpose of creating life-enhancing theatre based on cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary collaboration. The Nature of Forgetting was developed with neuroscience professor Kate Jeffery and the Alzheimer’s Society, and has been touring internationally to great acclaim.
Absorbing and deeply humane, The Nature of Forgetting is a perfect show for the London International Mime Festival, which has been bringing extraordinary physical theatre to the capital for over four decades. It was, therefore, a shock to hear that this is its final year in its current form; as with so many other arts outfits in the country, it’s taken a financial hit.
One more reason to enjoy the riches on offer in LIMF 2023…
Age Guidance: 8+
Tom’s daughter Sophie is helping him to get dressed. She repeats, slowly and clearly, that his blue jacket is ready for him to put on, his red tie in the pocket. As she leaves, Tom cries after her: ‘Isabella!’
No more words are spoken. From then on, this vivid, fast-moving piece of physical theatre jumps from Tom’s present fog of perplexity to his past, through a rush of his life-long memories.
On Shoreditch Town Hall’s raised stage, two crowded clothes rails symbolise Tom’s memories, each chosen piece catapulting him into the past. Now he’s at school, where he’s caught the eye of a vivacious fellow pupil; now as a young adult he’s graduating from university; he marries his childhood sweetheart; and then tragedy strikes.
The piece is performed by four versatile actor/mimes: company director Guillaume Pigé as Tom, Louise Wilcox as his daughter Sophie and wife Isabella, and Eygló Belafonte and Calum Littley in a variety of subsidiary roles.They skilfully deploy simple props, primarily wooden chairs and desks/table, to set scenes.
As well, two extraordinary musicians, percussionist Nathan Gregory and composer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Judd provide a vibrant and atmospheric soundtrack.
Cleverly devised, the show doesn’t depict memories as linear and literal. Most memories are coloured by the passage of time, and Tom’s are further affected by his deteriorating brain. So, while scenes are clearly set so that viewers can follow the narrative, they are also often distorted, sometimes moving too fast, sometimes contradicting each other, in a dizzying maelstrom that Tom tries and fails to control.
One of the UK's leading visual theatre companies, Theatre Re was established in 2011 with the purpose of creating life-enhancing theatre based on cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary collaboration. The Nature of Forgetting was developed with neuroscience professor Kate Jeffery and the Alzheimer’s Society, and has been touring internationally to great acclaim.
Absorbing and deeply humane, The Nature of Forgetting is a perfect show for the London International Mime Festival, which has been bringing extraordinary physical theatre to the capital for over four decades. It was, therefore, a shock to hear that this is its final year in its current form; as with so many other arts outfits in the country, it’s taken a financial hit.
One more reason to enjoy the riches on offer in LIMF 2023…
Age Guidance: 8+
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| What | Theatre Re, The Nature of Forgetting review |
| Where | Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Old Street (underground) |
| When |
18 Jan 23 – 22 Jan 23, 19:30. Sun ar 17:00 Dur.: 75 mins |
| Price | £18 (concessions £16) |
| Website | Click here to book |