East Midlands rural touring theatre company New Perspectives is to tour the winner of the company’s first playwriting competition called Long Play 2014.
Unforgettable by Derby-based writer Tim Elgood will open at Derby’s Guildhall Theatre before heading off around the East Midlands and finishing in the writer’s home town of Crich.
The opening coincides with National Dementia Awareness Week. Unforgettable is the story of the relationship between a brother and sister. It “sheds light on the effects of dementia on family relationships but is ultimately the story of Jed and Rosie, their revelations about growing up, growing old and a lifetime of rediscovery”.
A qualified social worker, Tim Elgood said, “my career in social work has without doubt been an influencing factor on this play. Added to that, you can write only about what you know, and this play is dedicated to my mother-in-law who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“Despite all the work I’d done with elderly people, the situation is different when it’s suddenly on your doorstep. Having personal experience gives you a subjective insight while in social work a lot of advice you’re giving is objective and theoretical.
“As we had a big family we could provide care 24/7, but this process of organising care led me to think: what would happen if there were only two people dealing with the situation?
“I tried not to let Unforgettable become over-sentimental. I always try to look at the humorous side of situations and there’s a lot of humour in this play. I think the subject matter will strike a chord with a lot of people.”
Theresa Keogh, artistic director-on-attachment at New Perspectives, directs Unforgettable. After graduating from De Montfort University with an MA distinction in scriptwriting, she won the BBC Writersroom Heartlands Award in 2012 and has worked consistently as a script editor for many film production companies.
Unforgettable tours to Derby’s Guildhall Theatre from 20 until 23 May, Bonington Theatre, Arnold, Nottingham on 29 May, The Castle, Wellingborough on 2 June, South Holland Centre, Spalding, Lincolnshire on 3 June, Key Theatre, Peterborough on 13 June and the Crich Glebe Field Centre, Derbyshire on 14 June.