Navigating Margaret Play at Malvern Cube
A grant from WCF’s Arts & Mental Health Fund to ArtsUplift CIC helped support the production of a new play ‘Navigating Margaret’.
Navigating Margaret takes Margaret through her journey of Alzheimer’s dementia. It was written and directed by International Director, Helen Tennison. It was performed three times first on 24th March 2023 at Malvern Cube to 333 people over four weeks plus, a question and answer session was delivered at the end of each show.
The play provided paid employment opportunities for 22 people including work for 7 professional actors with eight local children and young people and three adult community actors also joining the cast. The artistic team consisted of a professional director, theatre designer, costume supervisor, set builder, assistant producer, stage manager, sound designer and branding designer. Thirteen volunteers also worked on the production including, two Worcester College Students for hair and makeup, five front of house volunteers, two child chaperones plus, an assistant director, assistant stage manager, wardrobe and, venue support volunteers. In addition, songs used in the show were recorded at five 1-hr singing workshops.
Feedback was very positive with 77% of the audience giving it ten out of ten and 93% saying they learnt something about Alzheimer’s. One person commented ‘It was exceptional – everyone should see it! I laughed and cried. The humility and tender representation was mind-blowing’. For full feedback from the show and more comments please click here.
The show was also filmed and ArtsUplift’s aim is that this will be used alongside dementia awareness training. If you want to see the film of the play please Click here.
For a brief report on the delivery of the project click here: Malvern Suitcase Stories.
For more information on ArtsUplift see their website: ArtsUplift CIC
For more information on WCF Arts & Mental Health Fund see https://www.worcscf.org.uk/appeals/arts-mental-health-fund/.
