Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Country Highlight: The Netherlands
    • If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …
    • Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever
    • All About … Period Poverty
    • My Veggie Journey: How not being strictly Vegetarian is OK
    • Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month
    • Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021
    • Struggling to Lose Weight? How to Spot the Signs of a Fad Diet
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

      May 6, 2021

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Starting a Business at University

      April 23, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

      July 7, 2021

      Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

      May 17, 2021

      Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

      May 16, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      May 6, 2022

      If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …

      August 3, 2021

      All About … Period Poverty

      May 17, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Japan plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

      May 6, 2021

      The link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots

      April 29, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The 48-hour rise and fall of the European Super League

      April 27, 2021

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Arts & Culture»REVIEW: Watching Rosie
    Arts & Culture

    REVIEW: Watching Rosie

    Amelia SmithBy Amelia SmithDecember 12, 2020No Comments4 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Photo designed by Freepik, www.freepik.com

    Watching Rosie is a 12 minute-long play that covers the experience of a person living with dementia during the lockdown. The entire short takes place over a video call between a grandmother and granddaughter, giving the audience insight into a personal conversation that is both funny and moving.

    The play opens with ‘Hiya’, some light piano and guitar music, and what is now a familiar sight – a video call between relatives. Straightaway we are shown Alice’s playful side. She hides from the camera while Rosie worriedly calls ‘Gran!’, who then pops up from the right, giggling ‘boo’. Played by Miriam Margoyles, grandmother Alice brings a toy baby named Jeremy into shot and explains to Rosie that he’s not been eating his food. Rosie plays along with this, although you can see in her face that she is concerned. Alice also brings in a vase of flowers sent from Rosie, but they are upside down with the stems coming out of the top. It’s interesting how Alice is ‘switched on’ in many ways, for example, when Rosie tries to use Jeremy as a reason for Alice to stay home, Alice comes back with ‘he’s only a doll you know!’. She confronts Rosie, seemingly having forgotten playing with him earlier. In spite of her occasional coherence, it becomes clear she forgets frequently and is a bit confused.

    Alice calls for Arthur to come and speak to Rosie, but there’s a heartbreaking moment where she seems to realise he’s not there. The audience can see from Rosie’s face that he (presumably Alice’s husband and Rosie’s grandfather) has passed away and that Alice has forgotten. This for me was probably the most distressing part of the play, as it highlights how unforgiving dementia is.

    In the same vein, but less upsettingly, Alice gets confused with the video call and the telly – she thinks Rosie is inside and that she should ‘come out for a cup of tea’. Occasionally, she also changes the subject without warning or ignores questions that Rosie asks; this doesn’t seem to be because she’s being rude, but actually because she’s not able to hold a straight conversation, or remember what was said before.

    Alice worries when there’s a knock at the door because she’s nervous to answer it. Rosie suggests that she brings her with her to the door. It’s not mentioned, but there is a tower of toilet roll to the left of the door which made me giggle – we know who’s been hoarding it! She asks the delivery person at the door if he’s come to rob her, and then: ‘you gay?’ – again, a giggle moment – and basically sets her granddaughter up on a date! This was an unexpected but lovely moment of the story, and it was nice to see that even though Alice isn’t all there, she is still able to fulfil her role as a grandmother.

    I have to say I didn’t quite get the title of this piece. I thought it would have been called ‘Watching Alice’, considering the subject matter is dementia and Alice is the character who is watched and looked after by others. However, Alice is ‘watching over’ Rosie, even in isolation, so that’s probably the angle intended. I think it’s likely I’m reading too much into this, but because, from the title, I thought Rosie was the grandmother; I got a bit confused when grandmother was called Alice!

    A poignant, realistic telling of a sadly true situation, I enjoyed watching this play. Dementia is a syndrome that has unfortunately affected many of us and it is hard enough to endure without a pandemic which isolates those suffering from it. Although acknowledging the unfairness of this disease is not easy to do, the moment captured by this script encourages us to laugh and make light of the little joys that do sprinkle our day, even though we might miss them more often than not.

    You can find Watching Rosie here: https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/3/watching-rosie

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Amelia Smith

    Arts & Culture Editor | 20-21 Lifestyle Editor | 19-20

    Related Posts

    Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

    July 7, 2021

    Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

    May 17, 2021

    Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

    May 16, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.