THE NATURE OF FORGETTING

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★★★

“The movement takes on the task of speaking—in a universal language that we can all understand”

Theatre Re’s remarkable The Nature of Forgetting has returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Last seen here in 2017, this show is about Tom, a man suffering from early onset dementia. It’s a sensitive and incredibly moving exploration, created with the assistance of neuroscience professor Kate Jeffery and the Alzheimer’s Society. Director Guillaume Pigé, who directs and performs the role of Tom, leads a talented company that includes live music composed by Alex Judd.

The Nature of Forgetting asks us to consider “what is left when memory is gone?” For Tom, early onset dementia means that he is losing his ability to access his memories. He struggles to form an idea of the future. There is only the eternal present, a jumble of impressions that jump back and forth from childhood to parenthood in no particular order. We see the child Tom, brimming with energy and mischief at home and school; on his wedding day; graduating from university; but perhaps the scenes that pack the most emotional punch are those of relative stillness—Tom struggling to put on a jacket, and to find the tie that his daughter has placed for easy access in his pocket. Time shifting from scene to scene is indicated by changes in lighting, in music. Also in costumes, drawn from racks that border the playing area. Breaks in memory are similarly indicated by sudden dissonances from the live band. It’s all ingeniously and deftly managed.

Theatre Re’s own brand of physical theatre, influenced by Etienne Decroux, consists of smartly choreographed performances that has the actors moving on and off stage with speed and precision, carrying whatever props and costumes they need. It is a highly energized style, and this energy continues even in moments of stillness. The music and the lighting (designed by Katherine Graham and relit for the Edinburgh Fringe performances by Ross Hayward) are the essential pieces that hold it all together. Percussionist Nathan Gregory and multi-instrumentalist Henry Webster even step away from their instruments and into the cast from time to time, playing small roles alongside the main performers Calum Littley, Claudio Marciano, Pigé and Luna Tosin. It’s a joy to watch the performers use their bodies and their props to create a montage of images that include the joy of riding a bicycle, but also a tension ridden car ride, with Tom a passenger next to his angry and alienated wife. Most extraordinary of all is the fact that The Nature of Forgetting is performed almost entirely without words. The movement takes on the task of speaking—in a universal language that we can all understand.

This show is a highlight of the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and I urge you to see it if you can. It’s memorable in the best sense. It will give you a real appreciation for the gift of memory, and empathy for those who struggle.

THE NATURE OF FORGETTING

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Reviewed on 16th August 2025 at Grand at Pleasance Courtyard

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Johan Persson

THE NATURE OF FORGETTING

★★★★

“The music cleverly shifts from harmonious and symphonic to distorted and warped”

The Nature of Forgetting devised by Theatre Re focuses on the memories of Tom, aged 55, living with early onset dementia. The play begins on his birthday with his daughter, Sophie helping him get dressed for his party. We then move back and forth through Tom’s memories, from his school days, to his wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Isabella, to the birth of his daughter. There is very little dialogue and instead the piece uses music and movement to tell the story.

All the performers are extremely talented and adept, particularly in physical theatre. Louise Wilcox is fantastic as Isabella, Tom’s wife, and also as Sophie, his daughter. Eygló Belafonte plays Emma, Tom’s childhood friend, and also his mother, Mrs Denis and brings a lot of comedy to both characters. The role of Tom’s school friend and best man, Mike, is played by Matthew Austin and he moves effortlessly between characters and also provides some of the show’s most comic moments. The star of the show is of course, Tom himself played by Guillaume Pigé, who also conceived and directed the show. Pigé throws himself entirely into the role and does a beautiful job of portraying a man’s desperate attempt to cling to his memories as they warp and twist around him. We get the sense that Tom is trying to hold everything in his head and life together, but that it is becoming increasingly difficult.

This sense of distortion of memory is reflected in the music, which is provided by a live band at the back of the stage featuring Alex Judd and Chris Jones. The music cleverly shifts from harmonious and symphonic to distorted and warped to signify when Tom is struggling to remember something, or when a memory, which seemed vivid and solid, starts to transform and fade. The musicians are very accomplished and the music is beautiful, but at times it feels overly sentimental as though the audience are being told how they are supposed to be feeling.

Set and prop makers, Tim Highman and Andreas Velasquez should be commended for their flexible and movable design, which is simple but effective. The set features two large clothing racks, three old-fashioned school desks, some chairs and a fabulous stationary bike which is brought on for one beautiful scene. Katherine Graham’s lighting design is also worth mentioning. The way the lights focus on different parts of the stage seem to mirror the gaps in Tom’s memory.

Overall, The Nature of Forgetting is a heartwarming, physically impressive show. Its lack of dialogue not only makes it engaging but also extremely accessible, especially for those who are hard of hearing, who don’t speak English, or for younger audiences.

Reviewed for thespyinthestalls.com

Photography by Danilo Moroni

Tag Archives: Theatre Re

THE NATURE OF FORGETTING

★★★★★

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

THE NATURE OF FORGETTING

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★★★

“The movement takes on the task of speaking—in a universal language that we can all understand”