Review of Love Beyond: A Gripping Dementia Story Like a Thriller

This is the moving tale of an elderly d/Deaf man with dementia who arrives at a hospice to live out his final days. Outwardly, not much occurs. However, Ramesh Meyyappan’s astonishing play captures the profound inner turmoil of this man, whose memories collide with reality and whose hallucinations intrude into his daily existence.

The play unfolds like a thriller, starring Harry (Meyyappan) as its existential detective. He tries to piece together his life story, from the death of his wife (Amy Kennedy) to her recurring reappearances, which seem like unsettling, yet intriguing, parts of a larger puzzle.

Meyyappan, a Singaporean d/Deaf writer and actor based in Glasgow, powerfully conveys the disorienting and alarming experience of having dementia—amplified by his deafness and the fact that his only nurse (Elicia Daly) cannot use British Sign Language (BSL). His performance incorporates subtle physical theatre, allowing the audience to see every nuance of his fear and frustration.

Staged as part of the Made in Scotland showcase, the play is impeccably directed by Matthew Lenton. It realizes the mesmerizing fantasies that draw Harry back into his lost past, juxtaposed by the shocking harshness when these fantasies dissolve.

A mirror across the stage (set design by Becky Minto) enhances the play, portraying the distorted or unreliable visions that dementia brings. This reflective surface also implicates the audience by showing our images back to us, symbolizing Harry’s estrangement from himself—as if he views his life through a pane of glass. Additionally, a parallel world exists on the other side of this mirror.

The visual hallucinations of Harry’s wife are both romantic and eerie, enhanced by sinister visual effects surrounding the appearance of the younger Harry (Rinkoo Barpaga). The older Harry stands stricken and angered by this unrecognizable version of himself.

Harry’s room is sparsely furnished, featuring a table, armchair, and a tower of pebbles that trigger happy memories. He clutches these pebbles as if they are tangible pieces of his past. Accompanying the visual presentation is a piano score mingled with an electric, eerie soundscape, composed by David Paul Jones, which evokes the emotional depth of Harry’s illness.

There are no captions for the signing on stage, a deliberate choice that places the hearing audience in Harry’s shoes. We cannot understand the language and must guess what is being communicated or face our own confusion. The play delves into themes of love, death, and communication. Although it is not an easy watch, it is profoundly moving.

At Assembly George Square, Edinburgh, until 25 August.

Source: The Guardian