Remembering the Way “A love story to Moss side” is the heartbreaking story of a man with the early onset of Alzheimers attempting to reconnect with the past and his son.

Written by Curtis Cole, the Rising Moon productions play focuses on the family dynamic and life of the enigmatic ‘DJ Fish’. Spotlighting themes of racism, family and love, Cole not only wrote a beautiful script but sensationally portrayed the characters, leaving the audience filled with laughs and emotion. The play had the quality of finely tuned television drama and left me wanting more episodes!

As you walk into the auditorium, the director has drawn the audience in with the use of nostalgic reggae music to set up who the characters are with ease. The production used a form of split staging to differentiate between the two locations and time periods very effectively.

We are introduced to the fractured family dynamic of Fish, ex-partner, Carole and their older son, Warren.

Much of the action takes place at the Reno nightclub in Moss Side which played host to DJ Fish’s sets and where he met Carole on the dance floor, fuelled by games of Black Jack and rum. The use of Direct address of the audience immediately drew us into the lively scene. The Reno was a famed underground night club which Bob Marley had been rumoured to have visited. The multiple narratives that were tied together by music is what makes this play so unique and encapsulating.

Stand up comedian Trevor Lynch, who plays DJ Fish has family connections to Moss Side and the Reno Nightclub, and said: “The parallels the play has with my own life meant I had to act in this play.”

The final sequence is touching and powerful as we see Carole and Fish come together and dance to Janet Kay’s Silly Games as they remember the way things used to be. The overlapping dialogue coming full circle makes an incredible ending. On the night, it left the audience noticeably touched with many on their feet.

‘Remembering the Way’ triumphs in every single moment, each nuance of Fish’s frightening descent into Alzheimers was believable. Not over acting was the key to the characters’ like-ability and connection to the audience, particularly with a topic as poignant as Alzheimer’s. Writer Curtis Cole opens up a conversation about a condition which is rarely discussed although early onset dementia affects over 40,000 people in the UK.The spot on cast of Cole, Sarah Groarke-Booth and Trevor Lynch carried the play with beautiful and moving execution and for me a non theatre goer the play was a delight and a must see.

‘Remembering the Way’ is on at the Kings Arms until the 21st of October

 

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