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In Other Words

The Studio, Edinburgh

Four stars

 

When Arthur met Jane, it was love at first spillage. In a crowded bar accidentally serenaded by a Frank Sinatra soundtrack, the red wine might have stained, but the merry dance the couple in waiting stepped out into was all part of Arthur’s plan. A lifetime and the onset of dementia later, alas, Arthur and Jane may sit next to each other like bookends, but Arthur can barely remember either of their names. As soon as their song comes on, however, they are loving each other to the moon and back once more. 

 

Matthew Seager’s beautifully realised two-hander tackles the cruellest of illnesses and the redemptive power of music in exquisitely intimate fashion. Performed by Seager himself as Arthur and Lydia White stepping into Jane’s shoes, the power of Andy Routledge’s production comes in its quiet understatement. As Arthur becomes increasingly dependent on Jane, Jane is overwhelmed by a life she never planned. As Seager and White step out of Arthur and Jane’s domestic privacy occasionally to address the audience in character with snippets of inner monologue, it brings home an all too recognisable everyday tragedy. 

 

Seager’s play has become a much-loved treasure of the small scale touring circuit over the last few years. This latest outing has found a champion in The Utley Foundation, whose Music for Dementia campaign recognises the vital part music can play in caring for Alzheimer’s patients. As an artistic expression of their aims, In Other Words shows how a special song can bring memories back to life in a gently delivered production driven by empathy and warmth. 


The Herald, May 5th 2025

 

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