Following the success of Curious Shoes and In the Light of Day, Framed forms the third part of my dementia responsive trilogy. Whilst Curious Shoes focused on shoes and rhythm, In the Light of Day centred on hands, gloves and touch. With Framed, I am continuing to work my way up the human body by zooming in on everything above the neck: heads, faces, and related accessories, such as hats, hairstyles etc.
To date the project has had two short research and development periods. I am hoping to advance Framed to a full production and tour to theatres and care homes in 2026. Please watch this space.
The starting point for Framed is the use of a variety of empty picture frames to focus on the performers’ heads, faces and related accessories, also incorporating elements of dance, movement and music. Utilising frames has proven helpful for audiences with dementia, assisting them to ‘zoom in’, and giving a strong and clear focus to different locations within a performance space.
As with all my dementia responsive productions, collaborators with lived experience of dementia were invited to contribute to the project on equal terms – from the inception of the idea, through the planning process, and as test audiences whose feedback contributes to the form and content of the finished performance.
The initial research in July 2023 was comprised of a week’s residency with my collaborators, Suzie Ferguson, Tim Licata and Nicolette MacLeod. Suzie and Tim are performers highly experienced in this field, Nicolette is a singer/songwriter who spread her magic composing original music. Willy Gilder, a person living with Alzheimer’s Disease, contributed drawings, feedback and input to the project and Brian Hartley documented the process through photography and video.
During this period, we explored the concept of utilising frames as visual aids for audience members with dementia. We played with a variety of frames and developed initial ideas for artistic content. The week culminated in a work-in-progress sharing of devised material for a focus group of people with lived experience of dementia at The Studio at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. Audience members’ engagement and comments were overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.
“I think it was amazing. As soon as we sat here and the frames were there, you wanted to be part of it. You were desperately looking for a signal to be allowed to use the frames.”
“Frames helped to focus and really helped the concentration; you’re not too busy looking at the rest of the set; but you look at the actors in the frame; I think this would really work in care homes.”
“I was astonishingly moved by that. I was absolutely riveted, in a way that took me by surprise actually and I thought it was wonderful.”
“The sharing at the end of this process demonstrated clear potential to become a polished & engaging performance for people living with dementia and their carers.”
A second phase of research and development in June/July 2024 has focused on augmenting on our initial storyline & music, evolving the characters and, most importantly, on furthering collaborations with Willy Gilder, a person with lived experience of dementia. A writer and visual artist, Willy has accompanied the project as a ‘human camera’, capturing the development and content of the piece in drawings, while also giving input on the style and content of the piece.
The second R&D phase also saw an important collaboration with set designer Karen Tennent, to ensure any future production would be scalable and so available to audiences in both residential locations & theatre venues.
We were able to further test content and engagement by offering a work-in progress sharing to staff and of residents at The Elms care home, a focus group with more advanced dementia. One of the residents, a beautiful dancer, even joined the performers on stage and it seemed that the majority of the residents enjoyed our performance. Feedback from our audiences living with dementia, attending this sharing included:
“A marvellous piece.”
“This could go on all night.”
“I’m taking it all in.”
“It was lovely.”
“All good fun!”
“I have a little bit of unease when people ask me, or commission me, to do a piece of work. I didn’t really feel this with this project. I suppose that has to do with how kind and welcoming you and how welcoming the actors were. And how it didn’t take me very long to feel kind of part of the team….it felt like kind of ‘one of the Gang.”
“It was really fun and enjoyable. I don’t think there was anything that didn’t work for me, really. I think with things like this, kind of relationships between people matter.”
Both R&D phases of Framed have been supported by Creative Scotland with additional kind support by Capital Theatres. A special thanks to Jaine Lumsden, Theatre Officer at Creative Scotland, and Claire Swanson, Head of Creative Engagement as well as the Dementia Friendly Programme Team at Capital Theatres.
