The MakeShift Ensemble bring their new show Sofa to Swindon’s Shoebox Theatre on Saturday.
Featuring two actors and a puppet, the play is a highly visual exploration of the world of memory and ‘unmemory’ and its effect on family relationships. Inspired by real life events and experiences, the piece tells stories that sometimes go untold with humour and pathos. The sofa becomes the stage, where the audience sees the growth of the show’s central characters, and their memories of a loved one living with dementia.
“Our brains can do a million things with memories including completely rewrite them, and the differences between shared memories can be astonishing. Sofa explores that idea a lot. Starting from the home, the sofa is where we make new worlds as children and seek solace as adults, using this central object, the piece examines how experience changes our reflections on memories.
“This isn’t to say we don’t deal with the realities of living with and caring for those with dementia, it’s important not to skim over that, but the focus is on the role of memory and ‘unmemory’ and what it means as we grow,” said Jacqueline Avery, artistic director of the MakeShift Ensemble.
With an original score by Laurence Aldridge, the show includes puppetry, object manipulation and probably the most versatile sofa in the world.
The performance starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £10. To book, visit shoeboxtheatre.org.uk.
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