{"id":2563,"date":"2020-03-07T23:02:36","date_gmt":"2020-03-07T23:02:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.madf.im\/?page_id=2563"},"modified":"2020-03-08T16:39:18","modified_gmt":"2020-03-08T16:39:18","slug":"frogs-by-karen-ankers-presented-by-rushen-players","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/madf.im\/?page_id=2563","title":{"rendered":"Frogs by Karen Ankers presented by Rushen Players"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cFrogs\u201d by Karen Ankers\u00a0 presented by\u00a0<\/strong>Rushen Players<\/p>\n

Frogs examines what happens when a loving relationship is challenged by illness.\u00a0 Gerald and Dorothy\u2019s long and loving relationship changes with Gerald\u2019s descent into dementia, together with being wracked with guilt about his first wife\u2019s suicide.<\/p>\n

Review by Susie Beswick<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all in the mind! We are what we are! A leopard doesn\u2019t change his spots! He\u2019s always been the same! But not always and not all of us.
\nImagine forgetting your daughter\u2019s birthday, where you went yesterday, whether you were supposed to meet your daughter yesterday because it was her birthday?
\nA difficult play to tackle and for the players to handle the content with understanding, humour and sensitivity. Dementia is widespread has an inevitable ending whether Barrister, Farmer or Nurse all sufferers loose both their dignity and personality.<\/p>\n

Frogs shines light on the difficulties and consequences within a long term relationship from the perspective of both\u00a0Dorothy<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0the carer and\u00a0Gerald<\/em><\/strong>, the gent who has been struck by this disease.<\/p>\n

Dorothy<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>is busy, busy given that they\u2019re expecting the arrival of David, Gerald\u2019s son, a man in his forties. At\u00a0Gerald\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>request she\u2019s making lots of little cakes, but then\u00a0Gerald<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>remembers and sees him as a 10 year old boy. In fact she\u2019s going a little overboard in her attempt to please\u00a0Gerald<\/em><\/strong>, perhaps attempting to keep their day as free of stress as possible.<\/p>\n

Some days are hard work, the cakes burn a tad because\u00a0Gerald<\/em><\/strong>, suddenly, loudly and emotionally questions who\u00a0Dorothy<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>is after looking at an old family photo album in which Josephine his first wife is pictured with a young David.
\nIt\u2019s an upsetting and draining incident for both of them bearing in mind that Josephine committed suicide after an incident. But there are times when their days are joyful when a dance or two sweetens all.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the play,\u00a0Gerald<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>is able to voice\u00a0many of his fears which are as difficult to read as the writing must have been.
\n\u201cOne day I will never say your name again, I won\u2019t even know your name. It\u2019s like drowning. Will it get better or worse?<\/em>
\nMaybe before it gets worse I could go to that Clinic in Switzerland?\u201d<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis play obviously presented quite a task and commitment for the cast who both rose to the challenges of the task with compassion and great commitment. Not one for the fainthearted.
\nA very good job, well done Director, Cast and Crew.<\/p>\n

Photographs by Mike Trout<\/p>\n

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