Down Arts Centre is delighted to host a unique and moving performance that makes a tender exploration of the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on one woman’s life.
Let Me Stay willxa0be showingxa0on Saturday 20 June at 8pm.
Living with dementia? You’re having a laugh! Written and performed by Julie McNamara, Let Me Stay is a tender and unique exploration of the impact of Alzheimer’s on family relations.
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Let Me Stay, a sensitive play about living with Alzheimers, will be showing at the Down Arts Centre.[/caption]Julie McNamara has recorded her Mother’s songs and stories, filmed and photographed her in all her glory, over many years. The result is a compelling piece of theatre, an extraordinary love letter straight from the heart, wielded with a wicked sense of humour.
Let Me Stay is a celebration of life and love as seen through the eyes of Shirley McNamara, Julie’s mother, Queen of the Mersey. Alzheimer’s does not have to be a tragic and apologetic withdrawal from life. Think of it as a shedding of all care, with two fingers at the world and a constant sense of glee. It’s a lifestyle choice for some.
Driven by a passion for social justice, Julie McNamara’s work focuses on forgotten voices. Her writing comes from vivid landscapes of madness and moves the audience from bleak spaces into a gleeful absurdity. She is a great advocate within Disability Arts and is constantly seeking out imaginative solutions to open out her work to new audiences.
This performance is supported by Arts & Disability Forum. Down Arts Centre provides step-free access. The show includes BSL interpretation, Captioning and Audio Description.
Spice up your Friday lunchtime at Soup and a Song, hosted by Denvir’s Hotel, on Friday 19 June at 1pm. This week, Belfast-based singer and performer Geoff Hatt will entertain you with a variety of songs, followed by a delicious bowl of soup. Geoff has a music-hall style that is whimsical and uplifting with plenty of light and shade, from songs about beards to love and loss, on his trusty ukulele or guitar.
Don’t forget – Creating Connections, a 6-week programme of events aimed at older adults, including those at risk of isolation or with a learning disability, takes place every Wednesday morning from 10.30am – 1pm. We will be showing a variety of fun and inspiring films celebrating older people, and with tea, coffee and conversation on tap it’s a great morning out! The events are free and full programme details are available at www.downartscentre.com.
To purchase tickets (Soup and a Song £10 / £8; Let Me Stay £10 / £8) and for further information on any Down Arts Centre events, please contact the box office on 028 4461 0747 or visit:
www.downartscentre.com]]>
