A Map to You tells the vibrant life stories shared with playwrights by individuals and their families living with dementia.Â
Inspired by the unique connections between playwright and participant through a series of online, creative storytelling workshops with a dementia peer group, The Dot Collective will transform Longfield Hall into an immersive experience of short plays.
Written by Louise Coulthard (Cockamamy, Summerhall/The Hope Theatre), Laura Harling (founder of The Dot Collective; One Hundred Trillion, Old Vic Workrooms), Nicole Latchana (Arcola, The Bunker, The Southwark Playhouse) & A.C Smith (RSC, Bush Theatre, Soho Theatre, RADA) and the workshop participants from Link Age Southwark.
A Map to You brings rich memories to life through short, promenade plays as audiences are led through four different rooms. At the top of a precipice you can look out at The View by Laura Harling . Then, step into the shed for On the Go by Louise Coulthard. The common room will host Brushstrokes by Nicole Latchana and a quest will reveal Moon and Stars by A.C. Smith.
The Dot Collective provides sensory, reminiscent storytelling activities and workshops to create memory based, new short plays. A Map to You is a storytelling project that has connected families living with dementia to professional playwrights.
Spotlighting the person not the dementia, The Dot Collective raises awareness and reshapes the way we respond to the disease through theatre performance, while creating positive experiences for participants and allowing creativity and personality to thrive.
Speaking of the work, Laura Harling, Producer/Writer/Director comments, I feel guilty to call my work ‘work’ – it has been a privilege and nothing but joy to engage with the participants on A Map to You and hear their exciting and jam packed life stories! There’s so much detail! Dementia is a disease, but does not define the person – this production is about the person and despite the dementia, they can fill your day with vivid stories, and teach you a thing or two! I have learnt so much, like how rabbits have no nutritional value!
A Map of You has been kindly funded by Arts Council England, The Postcode Society trust, City Bridge Trust, Kings College London, Haberdashers Foundation, Cicely Northcote, London Catalyst & Chapman Trust.
A Map to You runs 27th – 29th October 2021. Tickets are on sale here.
