Mind Walking is extraordinary, and I’m not just talking about the acting or the script.
For the focal point of Tanika Gupta’s profoundly moving story is an aerial hoop through which Bobbie, an elderly Indian doctor suffering from Alzheimer’s, passes to relive his early, hitherto unknown, life. The rest of the cast also double up as aerialists to emphasise their part in his story while his daughter Rosa, played by choreographer Philippa Vafadari, uses it to illustrate the turmoil in her mind as she twists and turns above the stage in a tangle of acrobatics.
None of this would be possible without the skill and agility of aerial designer Jonothan Campbell, who, dressed in red overalls and a harness, spends the entire production clambering up and down rigging at the side of the stage in order to control the movements of the hoop and its occupants - a starring role indeed, and fascinating to watch.
But even something that novel won’t divert you from Peter D’Souza’s performance as Bobbie, whose gradual decline into senility covers a gamut of emotions, played out with great sensitivity.
The play, which held its world premiere at Watermans Arts Centre, shows how Bobbie’s illness affects his family, and the love, warmth, compassion and humour shown by his wife (Kate Dyson) and especially his grandson (Dylan Kennedy) is palpable, and a welcome contrast to his daughter’s distress.
Watermans Arts Centre, London, September 29-October 2, then touring until November 4
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Content is copyright © 2012 The Stage Media Company Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)
