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Alzheimer’s isn’t something often highlighted within the media – US TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Mad Men have touched on the subject, but it’s still largely ignored. Alison Farina’s new play The Persistence of Memory tackles the subject head on.

Arts professional Iphee (Jenny Johns) goes to visit her father, Dante (Duncan Bonner), and begins to worry about his health. He’s forgetful, the house is a mess and he’s become estranged from his friends and neighbours. The muse of memory, Mneme (Meghan Leslie), lingers in the periphery of Dante’s conscience, narrating the story along the way.

The very beginning was lacking fluidity – some lines were stumbled and some anticipated, and there was a little too much faux stepping over invisible clutter. Once the story picked up a little pace it became much smoother and more natural. Johns and Bonner worked well with each other, and some incredibly powerful emotive moments saw them shine individually. Leslie’s portrayal of the slightly ditsy and flirtatious muse provided some much needed light relief amongst some rather melancholic but thought-provoking subject matter.

The set was simple, which is understandable due to the size and layout of the stage at The Alma Tavern – you have to cross the stage to get to your seat. Even so, a little extra could’ve gone a long way, and perhaps a bit of roughing up would’ve helped too. Iphee was meant to be appalled at the state of her father’s house, but other than a few impressively clean looking dust sheets strewn across the furniture it looked relatively tidy.

The selection of music punctuates the story skilfully, giving a great sense of nostalgia during scenes where Iphee is exploring her father’s past. A slightly bizarre dream sequence was dropped in that didn’t add much to the story. The time could’ve been spent exploring Dante’s deterioration further.

The story definitely came into its own in the latter half, with a little over-narration at the beginning making it difficult to get to know the characters from the get go. Some important subject matter, told well but with a few issues that hold it back from being a very powerful piece of theatre.

The Persistence of Memory is playing at The Alma Tavern Theatre in Bristol until 14 September, then The Rondo Theatre, Bath on 20 & 21 September. For more information and tickets, visit the Alma Tavern website or Rondo Theatre website.