The Nature of Forgetting
About The Nature of Forgetting
“We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars... Everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings... There is something, way down deep that’s eternal about every human being... And that’s what’s left when memory is gone.” Thornton Wilder – Our Town
Our main character, Tom, is living with early onset dementia. We meet him on his 55th birthday being helped by his daughter, Sophie, as he struggles to get dressed for the party. What follows is a life-affirming journey into Tom’s weakening mind, where broken does not have to mean defeated.
To develop The Nature of Forgetting we collaborated with UCL Neuroscience Professor Kate Jeffery. Research on memory and amnesia formed the basis and foundation of our explorations. We also interviewed older members of the community as well as people living with dementia to create links between the science and the real human experience.
Ultimately, our piece 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.
Press
‘Profoundly moving... An action packed celebration of life’ BBC Radio 4
‘Exquisitely beautiful and punishingly energetic... This is a special show.’ ★★★★★ The List
‘Renders superlatives near redundant... Utterly unmissable.’ ★★★★★ The Edinburgh Reporter
‘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
‘This is a work of serious importance.’ ★★★★★ ThreeWeeks Edinburgh
‘This is an extraordinary production.’ ★★★★★ London City Nights
‘The Nature of Forgetting is the highlight of the Fringe.’ ★★★★★ Theatre Bubble
‘This is an exceptionally fine piece of high-energy physical theatre.’ ★★★★★ Edinburgh Guide
‘Unbounded in its imagination and sensational in its execution...’ ★★★★★ The Wee Review
‘A joy to watch... Theatre Re has created something very special.’ ★★★★★ Reviews Hub
‘A truly beautiful, emotionally charged piece of work.’ ★★★★★ EdFringe Review
‘One of those incredibly beautiful pieces of theatre you are likely to remember for a long,
long time.’ ★★★★★ Theatre Weekly
‘A production which is truly unforgettable.’ ★★★★★ Fringe Review
Winner ThreeWeeks Editor’s Award
Features
Interview with East London Guardian - here
Interview with Ham&High - here
Interview with The Vile Blog - here
Inteview with The Edinburgh Reporter - here
Creative Team
Conceived & Directed - Guillaume Pigé
Devised by the Company
Isabella / Sophie – Louise Wilcox (2017-2019) Luna Tosin (current)
Emma / Mrs Denis - Eygló Belafonte
Mike – Matthew Austin (2017-2019), Calum Littley (current)
Tom – Guillaume Pigé
Multi-instrumentalist / Teacher – Alex Judd
Percussionist / Schoolboy – Chris Jones
Composer - Alex Judd
Lighting Designer - Katherine Graham
Rehearsal Director - Eygló Belafonte
Re-lighter, Stage & Production Manager - Josephine Tremelling
Associate Lighting Designer (LIMF’17 & Latitude) - Lucy Adams
Costume & Prop Designer - Malik Ibheis
Dramaturg - A.C. Smith
Scientific Collaborator - Professor Kate Jeffery
Assistant Producer – Bevin Ng (London and Edinburgh)
External Curator - Andrew Visnevski
Photographer – National Taichung Theater, Danilo Moroni
Devisors - Matthew Austin, Malik Ibheis, Chris Jones, Alex Judd, Fred McLaren, Keiran Pearson, Guillaume Pigé, Eygló Belafonte, Andres Velasquez, Louise Wilcox.
Past Performances
Work-in-progress, Lincoln Drill Hall (Lincoln, 2016)
Work-in-progress, South Hill Park Arts Centre (Bracknell, 2016)
Preview performance, The Point Eastleigh (Eastleigh, 2017)
World Première, London International Mime Festival at Shoreditch Town Hall (London, 2017)
Latitude Festival, Theatre Arena (Suffolk, 2017)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe - Part of British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2017, Pleasance Forth (August 2017)
Brazil (Feverestival Campinas, SESC Santana Sao Paulo - 2018)
Peru (FAE Festival - 2018)
UK TOUR - Spring 2018:
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Norwich Playhouse, The Quary Theatre, The Lowry, Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Mac Belfast, Shoreditch Town Hall, Worthing Theatre - Part of Brighton Festival, The Dukes Lancaster, The Gulbenkian, South Hill Park , Ffwrnes, The Courtyard, The Cornerstone Arts Centre.
US Tour (East Coast) - Autumn 2018:
University of Massachusetts, Virginia State University, Raritan Valley Community College, Pinkerton Academy, Lafayette College, Stockton University, Bucknell University, Connecticut College, University of Maine, Reading Area Community College, University of Richmond, The Ringling, University of North Carolina
South Korea (Wooran Foundation, Seoul - 2019)
Hong Kong (Hong Kong Culural Centre, Hong Kong Arts Festival - 2019)
USA (New Victory Theater, New York City - 2019)
Taiwan (Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival and National Taichung Theatre - 2019)
UK (Salisbury International Arts Festival - 2019)
Mexico (Cerventino Internacional Festival Guanajuato, Teatro del Bicentenario Leon - 2019)
US Tour (Midwest) - Autumn 2019:
Walton Arts Centre, Hettenhausen Centre for the Arts, St Mary's College, Unity Knight Centre, Clark Stage Community College, Luther College, St John University, Krannert Centre for the Performing Arts
“We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars... Everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings... There is something, way down deep that’s eternal about every human being... And that’s what’s left when memory is gone.” Thornton Wilder – Our Town
Our main character, Tom, is living with early onset dementia. We meet him on his 55th birthday being helped by his daughter, Sophie, as he struggles to get dressed for the party. What follows is a life-affirming journey into Tom’s weakening mind, where broken does not have to mean defeated.
To develop The Nature of Forgetting we collaborated with UCL Neuroscience Professor Kate Jeffery. Research on memory and amnesia formed the basis and foundation of our explorations. We also interviewed older members of the community as well as people living with dementia to create links between the science and the real human experience.
Ultimately, our piece 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.
Press
‘Profoundly moving... An action packed celebration of life’ BBC Radio 4
‘Exquisitely beautiful and punishingly energetic... This is a special show.’ ★★★★★ The List
‘Renders superlatives near redundant... Utterly unmissable.’ ★★★★★ The Edinburgh Reporter
‘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
‘This is a work of serious importance.’ ★★★★★ ThreeWeeks Edinburgh
‘This is an extraordinary production.’ ★★★★★ London City Nights
‘The Nature of Forgetting is the highlight of the Fringe.’ ★★★★★ Theatre Bubble
‘This is an exceptionally fine piece of high-energy physical theatre.’ ★★★★★ Edinburgh Guide
‘Unbounded in its imagination and sensational in its execution...’ ★★★★★ The Wee Review
‘A joy to watch... Theatre Re has created something very special.’ ★★★★★ Reviews Hub
‘A truly beautiful, emotionally charged piece of work.’ ★★★★★ EdFringe Review
‘One of those incredibly beautiful pieces of theatre you are likely to remember for a long,
long time.’ ★★★★★ Theatre Weekly
‘A production which is truly unforgettable.’ ★★★★★ Fringe Review
Winner ThreeWeeks Editor’s Award
Features
Interview with East London Guardian - here
Interview with Ham&High - here
Interview with The Vile Blog - here
Inteview with The Edinburgh Reporter - here
Creative Team
Conceived & Directed - Guillaume Pigé
Devised by the Company
Isabella / Sophie – Louise Wilcox (2017-2019) Luna Tosin (current)
Emma / Mrs Denis - Eygló Belafonte
Mike – Matthew Austin (2017-2019), Calum Littley (current)
Tom – Guillaume Pigé
Multi-instrumentalist / Teacher – Alex Judd
Percussionist / Schoolboy – Chris Jones
Composer - Alex Judd
Lighting Designer - Katherine Graham
Rehearsal Director - Eygló Belafonte
Re-lighter, Stage & Production Manager - Josephine Tremelling
Associate Lighting Designer (LIMF’17 & Latitude) - Lucy Adams
Costume & Prop Designer - Malik Ibheis
Dramaturg - A.C. Smith
Scientific Collaborator - Professor Kate Jeffery
Assistant Producer – Bevin Ng (London and Edinburgh)
External Curator - Andrew Visnevski
Photographer – National Taichung Theater, Danilo Moroni
Devisors - Matthew Austin, Malik Ibheis, Chris Jones, Alex Judd, Fred McLaren, Keiran Pearson, Guillaume Pigé, Eygló Belafonte, Andres Velasquez, Louise Wilcox.
Past Performances
Work-in-progress, Lincoln Drill Hall (Lincoln, 2016)
Work-in-progress, South Hill Park Arts Centre (Bracknell, 2016)
Preview performance, The Point Eastleigh (Eastleigh, 2017)
World Première, London International Mime Festival at Shoreditch Town Hall (London, 2017)
Latitude Festival, Theatre Arena (Suffolk, 2017)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe - Part of British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2017, Pleasance Forth (August 2017)
Brazil (Feverestival Campinas, SESC Santana Sao Paulo - 2018)
Peru (FAE Festival - 2018)
UK TOUR - Spring 2018:
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Norwich Playhouse, The Quary Theatre, The Lowry, Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Mac Belfast, Shoreditch Town Hall, Worthing Theatre - Part of Brighton Festival, The Dukes Lancaster, The Gulbenkian, South Hill Park , Ffwrnes, The Courtyard, The Cornerstone Arts Centre.
US Tour (East Coast) - Autumn 2018:
University of Massachusetts, Virginia State University, Raritan Valley Community College, Pinkerton Academy, Lafayette College, Stockton University, Bucknell University, Connecticut College, University of Maine, Reading Area Community College, University of Richmond, The Ringling, University of North Carolina
South Korea (Wooran Foundation, Seoul - 2019)
Hong Kong (Hong Kong Culural Centre, Hong Kong Arts Festival - 2019)
USA (New Victory Theater, New York City - 2019)
Taiwan (Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival and National Taichung Theatre - 2019)
UK (Salisbury International Arts Festival - 2019)
Mexico (Cerventino Internacional Festival Guanajuato, Teatro del Bicentenario Leon - 2019)
US Tour (Midwest) - Autumn 2019:
Walton Arts Centre, Hettenhausen Centre for the Arts, St Mary's College, Unity Knight Centre, Clark Stage Community College, Luther College, St John University, Krannert Centre for the Performing Arts
