demens

This play examines the extremely disturbed psychological landscapes of four characters who inhabit a psychiatric hospital, and the real demons they face produce dangerous and devious behaviour. These portrayals are vividly rooted in the stereotypical fearful imaginations of what it is like to live with a mental illness. The references to archaic practices such as ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), lobotomy, excessive medication, and evil psychiatric staff (who appear more psychologically damaged than the patients) are all laboriously treated in this piece.

While it may be important to refer to the significant heritage of cultural representations that brought attention to the dysfunction in mental health practices, demens is unsure of where it would like to take these revelations. This is a production that has some excellent talent at its disposal that could have been exploited more. Jai Luke’s portrayal of Allan/Stanley is particularly notable, and his ability to convey the vulnerability and innocence of Allan and immediately switch to the wicked Stanley is quite disarming. This produces an extremely solid and mesmerizing performance.

The lives of the four characters are intertwined by their troubled relationships with each other within the institution. This is managed with some interesting and dramatic theatrical techniques that are well executed. The primary challenge of staging such a text is to counter the marginalisation of people who are struggling with a lived experience of mental ill-health. This production would benefit from giving more consideration to how this could be achieved.

Patricia Di Risio