Timeless is a one-person play about living with anterograde amnesia. It is being performed in the Haldene Theatre in theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall.
Martin (played by John Rayment) wakes up every day believing it is 2008, and he has to go to the dentist for a root canal surgery. In reality, it is 2018, and for the last decade of his life, Martin has been living with anterograde amnesia – meaning that he is unable to make any new memories. As a result of this, Martin spends every day trying to adjust to the fact that neither of his kids are children anymore, and that he can no longer return to his job as a London cabbie, even though his memory of The Knowledge is still intact. Not only this, but Martin is forced to come to terms with just how much his condition means he relies on his wife, Tracy.
Rayment’s performance in Timeless is incredibly emotive. Their portrayal of Martin makes the character incredibly endearing, and their acting is very natural, so much so that at times it is easy to forget that Rayment is indeed acting. The way that Rayment addresses the audience brings them into the story, and encourages them to empathise with Martin, even when talking about the more unflattering areas of the character’s history. This is a true testament to Rayment’s performance.
Brian Coyle’s writing is fantastic. They find the balance between humour and heartbreak and use this formula to create characters that the audience feels a lot of sympathy for, even though they only actually meet Martin.
Timeless is a fascinating and deeply moving show that makes the audience consider just how much of who we are is made up of our memories. The script is well researched and written, and Rayment does a wonderful job in bringing it to life.
