‘Can Yow Remember?’ makes its debut at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton. The show, as described by co-writer and co-director Fran Richards, is “born out of a passion to provide a legacy for people living with dementia”. The production has collected the experiences of over 90 people living with the illness, through theatre workshops and music recordings.
When speaking to Charis and Fran during rehearsals, I uncovered the lack of funding for charities supporting those with dementia, specifically within the Black Country. Being from the Black Country themselves, the directors feel a personal connection to the stories shared and the people they are representing.
Charis explains how being of Irish descent has been picked up on by those she workshopped with. “In the 1950s and 60’s, there was a lot of migration to the black country, and so many people were happy to hear that I sounded like their mum or dad. A lot of our heritage crosses over, and it’s been lovely to reconnect with that”. Fran also recounts that she was born and raised in the black country, and this show has been an opportunity to “give voice to the area”.
I think sometimes that the Black Country can get a bad rap, but one thing it’s good at is showcasing community.
Fran Richards, Co-Director
Music producer and composer, Jonny Amos, has also been heavily involved with the show.
The project saw the participants sketch out some of their memories during workshops. Those memories were then given to me so that I could use as fragments for storytelling. I picked out some of the key memories and fleshed them out into full songs. I built some chords around the words to match the moods. I then applied melodic construction to the lyrics which in turn created compositions out of the original memories.
Composer, Jonny Amos.
As for the importance of the cafes to those with dementia, Fran explains, “They are surrounded by people who understand what they are going through, maybe those who are going through the same things as them.”
In an article by Viktor Berg, for Homecare UK, he describes that cognitive stimulation can slow down memory loss. By keeping the brain active with music, crafts, or social interaction, dementia can be significantly slowed down, aiding those living with it to experience a better quality of life.
The directors are able, not only to create a legacy for those with dementia in the Black Country, but also to raise money for the cafes involved in their care through proceeds from the show. To do this, rather than the local council, they gained funding from Arts Council England.
It has long been known that access to creativity and culture impacts positively on the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Arts Council England is proud to support many Creative Health programs, which can help address the major challenges faced in health and social care, including loneliness, health inequalities, mental illness, aging, and long-term conditions.
Spokesperson from Art Council England
The show saw a successful first night at the Arena Theatre, selling almost every seat. ‘Can Yow Remember?‘ is set to return to the Black Country soon with further dates to be announced.