5 STARS, June 18-24. Deeply touching and superbly acted, Breadcrumbs is a poetic and uncomfortable exploration of the effects of Alzheimer's disease on the human soul, says Deborah Harris
Breadcrumbs is a poetic play suitable for two powerful, strong and stubborn women. In a battle of wills and mistrust, one woman’s health gradually declines through the three dissipating stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Through the eyes of the sufferer, the audience journeys through a maze of deliberately confused narrative, with flashbacks and unearthed secrets from Alida’s childhood. A few skeletons are rattled with the disclose that she deliberately started a fire and burnt down a mansion.
Alida (Joolz Connery) morphs into the role of a writer with a dark, murky past. She’s quite brilliant in this role. Stubborn, mistrusting, cantankerous and fiercely fighting a losing battle for her independence. She manages to create a real sense of urgency to finish her autobiographical play before she knows that her memory will give way.
Although some of the narrative is poetic, sensitive and beautiful, it’s also hard-hitting.
“There was a leaf on the window sill. A yellow leaf and I realised, it's fall again.” The leaf looked like my hand - reaching out with all its veins. A yellow leaf. And I thought maybe I should write my memoirs before my brain turned brown!”
The other woman, young carer, Beth (Lara Parker) admirably plays a lost soul looking for love and acceptance. Kicked out of her family home in her teens, it’s evident that she’s searching for self fulfilment by helping Alida finish her play.
The play draws metaphors from guide posts which help to steer our everyday life and aide the memory. For example, words on yellow sticky notes forming a mind map. “High heels. Stuffed animals. yellow leaves.”
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There is also an intriguing twist on the Grimm’s fairytale Hansel and Gretel adding an ethereal quality to the play. Alida imagines herself as Gretel without Hansel, “swallowed up in an infinite indifferent darkness."
Spinning a yarn, Alida recounts a tale of scattered breadcrumbs, beating a pathway through a dense, dark wood to a cottage belonging to an evil witch. On analysis, the witch is a metaphor for her mother.
Instead of the traditional gingerbread baked cottage, stripped candy canes and window panes glazed with mint. In her mind’s eye, she describes a scene of pure evil. The walls are carved of a chocolate flesh with bones and there’s a mucous shaped roof. Historically, the concept of small children fending for themselves is a veiled reference to The Great Famine (1315-1321). During this era, food was so short, and there were tales of cannibalism, and parents had to teach their children harsh skills on how to fend for themselves.
Alida’s final scenes as she reaches the last stages of Alzheimer’s and stops recognizing those around her are totally mesmerizing. During these scenes, she succeeds in connecting deeply and emotionally with the audience.
Her fighting spirit just burns out. One minute she’s appears to be there and the next minute her soul and identity appear to completely leave her. Gradually, her piercing eyes glaze over and she simply stares.
It almost as if she knows that any day she’s going to die.
This is an incredibly good production which is very current and deeply soul searching.
Teddington Theatre Group have dedicated this production of Breadcrumbs to those who suffer from Alzheimer's and their carers.
Worldwide, a staggering 47 million people have dementia and there are currently 9.9 million new cases each year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia which causes three distinct stages of deterioration including memory loss, irrational thought processes and behaviour which leads to an inability to recognise loved ones or perform everyday activities.
In the UK alone, an estimated 850,000 people suffer from Alzheimer’s currently costing 23.3 billion per year.
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