18/07/2025
Kindly invited by CURVE theatre, Leicester, I went to see a dementia friendly performance of a new musical with real heart, Indigo. I was joined by three Trustees from Dementia Sings Out to discover how a theatre experience can be adapted to ensure audience members living with dementia feel comfortable throughout.
The show itself follows three generations of women, including one character living with Alzheimer’s, and how they come together after a long time apart.
When her mother, Elaine, is diagnosed with dementia, Beverley and her husband Rick open their home to care for her. While adjusting to their new circumstances, Beverley’s daughter, Emma, a non-speaking autistic teenager with synaesthesia, unexpectedly comes back into her life.
The story is told so creatively and sensitively, with strong musical numbers and a multilayered set that really leans in to the idea of the intense spectrum of colour experienced by Emma.
Brilliantly performed, it gives a real glimpse into the world of Alzheimer’s too, highlighting some of the difficulties in adjusting to a new diagnosis and the symptoms experienced, all very familiar to me. But it also shows that there are still many things to be enjoyed.
Thanks to Lisa, Izzy and the team for putting in place the adaptions to tailor the performance and to help make it dementia friendly, including adjustments to lighting and sound, clear signage and allowing the audience to move freely through the performance. A full pack of information was available beforehand full of useful details about what to expect and the help on offer.
