The theatre companies taking their shows to Scottish care homes - including with five-year-olds

The groups are taking theatre into care homes and day centres across the Lothians.

Gus Harrower has seen the impact of theatre performances on care home residents first hand.

“They sing along, some of them get up and dance,” he says. “It’s really interactive. There are a lot of smiles.”

Mr Harrower, the creative engagement co-ordinator of the dementia friendly programme at Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, knows the positive impact the arts can have on residents facing memory loss.

Jack In The Box performance at Festival Theatre for people living with dementia. | Greg Macvean Photography

“For us, the big question is how can we reach people who can’t come to the theatre because they are in a care home or have dementia,” he says. “They have got a diagnosis, but the best way to tackle it is to keep busy and keep your brain active and this helps them do that.”

The theatre’s Jack in the Box show, based on a train journey between Liverpool and Edinburgh, has been granted funding from the RS Macdonald charitable trust to play at care homes and day centres around the Lothians this summer.

A specially crafted dementia friendly performance, it is created by and performed by singer Michelle Burke and pianist James Ross. The show is adapted to include person-centred sensory interactions, vintage puppetry and familiar music, encouraging the audience to reminisce.

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The production has previously performed a limited winter run and has held dementia-friendly performances at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, but the new funding means more residents can enjoy the show.

“Art gives people ownership,” Mr Harrower says. “Their whole life changes [when they get a dementia diagnosis], but they can still find something that is really creative and fulfilling.”

He adds: “We’ve had workers at the care homes tell us that people are calmer for the rest of the day after they’ve seen the show and that is big.”

Glow Bugs from Beacon Arts Centre, performing in a local care home. | Christopher Bowen

At Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock, the Glow Bugs theatre group for five to seven-year-olds has also been touring local care homes. The project is mutually beneficial - inspiring not only the residents, but also the young performers.

“They're going on tour,” says Karen Townsend, co-director of the Beacon. “We've got tour T shirts, we've got posters, we've got tickets, and they're all going into the care homes to perform their piece. They are so excited.”

An initial run last year proved so successful they decided to expand the initiative to more care homes, as well as a dementia-friendly performance at the theatre itself.

“We want to spread joy,” Ms Townsend adds. “We wanted something light and happy and nice to do. Obviously the important thing is the intergenerational work, everybody knows that works. You get the stories from the older residents, they have the connection with the young people. It’s great.”

Emma Letson, activity co-ordinator at Kincaid House in Greenock, says The Glow Bugs show engaged her residents.

“It created a lovely atmosphere within the home around the residents and had them chatting about their lives together throughout the rest of the afternoon,” she says.

“One of our residents said that it just made her smile and watching the children preform reminded her of attending her own children's school shows.”