Real-life stories inspire hard-hitting play about dementia

Two free performances of a powerful play which looks at the impact of dementia on families are taking place in Harrogate on May 24, to mark Dementia Action Week #DAW2018.

Don’t Leave Me Now, which is supported by all the major dementia charities including the Alzheimer’s Society and Dementia Care, uses humour, insight and true stories to explore how the illness affects everyone involved. There are currently 850,000 in the UK with dementia.

The performances have been commissioned by Harrogate-based Vida Healthcare, which specialises in care homes for people living with the condition. They hope the performances will help raise awareness and signpost people to the support available.

Following each performance there will be an after show discussion with the director, the cast and dementia care experts from Vida Healthcare.

The performances take place on Thursday, May 24, at St Wilfrid’s Parish Hall, Duchy Road, Harrogate HG1 2EY, with a matinee at 3pm and an evening performance at 6.30pm. Both events are totally free, but any donations on the day will be donated to Alzheimer’s Society.

The play is based on the experience of two different dementia patients in a care home in Yorkshire, and explores how they, their families and society deals with the condition.

Written by playwright Brian Daniels, it is inspired by two real stories; his friend Irene Heron, a vivacious woman who was diagnosed in her early 50s and died of the condition aged just 66, and businessman Chris Toulman, who was living in the same care home after his diagnosis. He died in his early 60s.

With the support of both families Brian embarked on writing these very personal stories. He wanted to explore through a play the way in which dementia impacts on the wider family and whether love ever becomes a duty.

To reserve your seat for either performance, visit this link.Click here for more information on Dementia Awareness Week.