What would life be like if humans could tap into every single memory stored in their brains at will? If we could reconnect with every single thing that has happened to us – whether it was something we liked, hated, feared or completely forgotten? And given a choice which specific memories would one personally choose to revisit again – and why?
Forget-Me-Not is the story of a man called Danny. He is a normal, routine-obsessed man whose life seems to tick all the right boxes without ruffling any feathers: something he considers to be an achievement. Going about his things in the same organised fashion day in day out, Danny finds comfort in the bubble-like stability he has created for himself. He lives a clearly outlined life with little room for change, and he won’t change that for anything. But things do change one day when he randomly spots someone on his work commute who looks uncannily like someone from his past. Someone he had completely, or almost, forgotten about. Until now.
Danny embarks on a whirlwind dangerous journey into his past – but the deeper he sinks into it the more he starts losing touch with the present and the more he starts running the risk of having no future at all. This chance meeting sends him reeling down a dangerous path of memories, instability and addiction and what he has suppressed for years comes back to hit him in full force leaving him no choice but to face a dark period of his early life which he has, subconsciously, fought so hard to simultaneously overcome and forget throughout his adult life. But nothing is truly digested and overcome unless it is stared right in the face and confronted. Does Danny have what it takes to deal with and, ultimately, let it go?
Forget-Me-Not kicks off a celebratory year for Dù Theatre as 2014 marks the 10th year anniversary since it was formed by Simone Spiteri. Over the past decade the company, made up of five women at its core, has become synonymous with fresh and original work and their versatility has extended to a body of work which stretched along various genres in the theatre spectrum. The company has also exported its work to other countries on several occassions.
As the first of a series of projects designed to celebrate this landmark birthday Forget-Me-Not is a new ground of exploration for the group. Obsession, illusion, loss, acceptance and reconciliation are diversely explored through this work, painstakingly devised from the ground upwards over the span of the past few months. In-keeping with the group's ethos Forget-Me-Not is a collaboration between resident Dù members Simone Spiteri and Magda van Kuilenberg, dancers Elise Ellul and Yosef Farrugia and musicians Tim Ellis from local folk band Stalko (also Dù's music director since its inception) and Chris Galea who needs no introduction as a great actor who is an equally talented musician.
The company has been working on the piece since last September in a process which saw the story built progressively through workshops between the actors, dancers and musicians. The piece seamlessly merges the physicality of dance with all the diverse aspects of acting and pushes the boundaries even further by bringing in a multi-media approach which completes the story-line. The music is composed entirely from scratch, sampling sounds and voices of the musicians and performers themselves which will be manipulated and played live by the composers during the performance.
The play will run at MITP theatre in St Christopher street Valletta on 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 February at 8pm. The opening night will be followed by a small reception including wine and nibbles. Tickets from St James Cavalier on 2122 3200 or [email protected]. For more information please like the company’s Facebook page or follow the production blog on http://dutheatre.wordpress.com/