The Nature of Forgetting
Delving deep into dementia, internationally acclaimed company head to Newcastle l The Northern Stage l 17th – 18th February 2023
Following phenomenal sell-out runs in London, New York, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, Seoul, Sao Paulo and Lima, Theatre Re returns to the UK with their explosive, joyous and highly acclaimed show The Nature of Forgetting. As one of the UK’s leading visual theatre companies, Theatre Re blur the lines of traditional performance by combining original live music and striking visual theatre to create world class, deeply moving non-verbal productions. The Nature of Forgetting delves sensitively into the fragility of life by exploring what is left when memory and recollection begin to fade.
Tom has just turned 55. As he dresses for his birthday party, tangled threads of disappearing moments spark him into life and old memories come flooding back. This ambitious project tells a tale of friendship, love and guilt with actors, mimes and musicians. Established in 2011, Theatre Re create, share and promote life-changing theatre that is both inventive and accessible through cross- arts and cross-sector collaboration. After an extraordinary world tour performing across 15 countries since 2017, the UK leg of this tour will commence with the company’s exciting return to London International Mime Festival for 2023 with The Nature of Forgetting.
Across the tour, the company will be offering a series of post-show talks at each performance venue in association with local organisations. Led by specialist psychologists and medical researchers for Dementia and Alzheimers, as well as Admiral Nurses from Dementia UK, audiences will hear first- hand the development process for the show and experience an insight into the cognitive map of memory.
Leading the talks will be Dr Sarah Ryan (Alzheimers Society Junior Fellow, The University of Manchester), Dr Dorothy Tse (Senior Psychology Lecturer, Edge Hill University), Dr Meher Lad (MRC Clinical Research Training Fellow, Newcastle University) and Professor Kate Jeffery (Neuroscience Professor, University College of London), with whom Theatre Re collaborated closely throughout the devising process. These post-show talks offer audiences a fresh perspective on memory and shine a light on stigmas concerning dementia. Each talk and performance preceding it will be BSL interpreted by Laura Goulden.
Director Guillaume Pigé comments, The Nature of Forgetting is not about dementia. It is about the fragility of life and that eternal ‘something’ we all share that is left when memory is gone. If there is one takeaway from the past seven years of making, touring, refining and breathing new life into The Nature of Forgetting – it’s to remind myself to be present, in the moment, and realise life as I live it.
Incredible…The Nature of Forgetting is a powerful reminder of the beauty of mime’ (★★★★★ GQ Magazine UK)
Breath-taking and bold… A must see (★★★★★ Broadway World). ★★★★★ Theatre Weekly
★★★★★ The List
Age restrictions Website Running Time Social media
Tour Dates
13th – 15th January
Tim Highman and Andres Velasquez A.C. Smith
Professor Kate Jeffery
Andrew Visnevski
Louise Wilcox Eygló Belafonte Calum Littley Guillaume Pigé Alex Judd Nathan Gregory Matthew Austin Malik Ibheis Chris Jones
Alex Judd
Fred McLaren Keiran Pearson Guillaume Pigé Eygló Belafonte Andres Velasquez Louise Wilcox Luna Tosin, Calum Littley
8+
75 minutes
@theatrere #TheNatureofForgetting
Théâtre des Capucins, Théâtres de Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
[3]
18th – 22nd January
Shoreditch Town Hall, London
As part of London International Mime Festival 2023.
Post-show talk with Professor Kate Jeffery and Admiral Nurse Jules Knight of Dementia UK on 19th January. https://mimelondon.com/theatre-re-the-nature-of-forgetting-2023/
The Lowry, Salford
Post-show talk with Dr Sarah Ryan and Admiral Nurse Pam Kehoe of Dementia UK on 30th January. https://thelowry.com/whats-on/the-nature-of-forgetting/
Edge Hill University Theatre, Ormskirk
Post-show talk with Dr Dorothy Tse and Admiral Nurse Helen Green of Dementia UK on 2nd February. https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/departments/support/artscentre/whats-on/
Northern Stage, Newcastle
Post-show talk with Dr Meher Lad and Admiral Nurse Sharron Tolman of Dementia UK on 17th February. https://northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/the-nature-of-forgetting/#
30th – 31st January
1st and 3rd February
17th – 18th February
The Nature of Forgetting was funded by Arts Council England and was commissioned by the London International Mime Festival, The Point Eastleigh and South Hill Park.