If You Fall
Bristol Old Vic

AD-INFINITUM’S flair for physical theatre and effective use of a cappella singing is imaginatively employed to create an upbeat yet moving portrayal of the world of the infirm elderly and care homes, which is not the normal atmosphere associated with the pains and trials of traumatic end-of-life scenarios.

The intergenerational, multiracial cast of six integrate the lives of two individuals as they face the desolation of old age with a loss of dignity, confidence and security that comes with incapacity, both mental and physical.

Margaret, played with a real joie de vivre by Heather Williams, is introduced to us first as she vigorously rejects her bland eulogy that shows no grasp of who she was and what she did and only focuses on what she had become after an accident caused by vascular dementia that leaves her bed-bound and totally dependent on others.

Kirris Riviere plays Norson, a larger-than-life character in his fifties whose dementia necessitates institutionalisation and steals everything that has shaped and given meaning to his life. 

The cast-devised show, directed by Helena Middleton, skilfully manages to capture contrasting perspectives on these harrowing tales.

Although the majority of the drama is seen from the viewpoint of Margaret and Norson’s children and carers, sequences representing the outlook of the infirm hint at their lost lives, present indignities and fearful engagement with their new realities.

The ensemble work is outstanding as the cast slip between roles and create a sense of the continual challenges and exhausting routines of the carers’ lives often supported by an a cappella soundscape, while moments of poignancy and humour ensure it always remains a story about individuals.

At just over an hour, this short play packs a real emotional punch, capturing the tragedy of dementia without ever being maudlin.

Although it has largely opted to stay away from the economics, politics and insufficient funding that bedevils our social care system, it is a memorable and thought-provoking drama.

Runs until April 15, box office: (0117) 987-7877, bristololdvic.org.uk.