b'huge range of locations and venues, without the use of intricate props and set.Memory, Identity and Care: An Exploration ofMagic and illusion, both old and new, have a profound ability to attract and inspireDepictions of Dementia in Contemporary Performanceaudiences. They draw upon human fascination with the unexplainable, themysterious and the impossible. They can shape the way stories are told, ignitingPhilippa Holtthe imagination and the emotional connection with the narrative. The future of magic and its relationship with the theatre may mean performers and actors arePhilippa Holt explores representations of dementia onstage and its real-world less in demand and therefore may need toincrease their understanding of theconsequences, analysing narratives portrayed and how the humanity ofgrowing tech-dependent world of illusion. However, there are many effective sufferers is depicted in light of the visibility, respect, and empowerment those Victorian tricks that are still in use to immerse the audience in worlds of fairytalewith the illness deserve.and mystery.What drives you?Through my thesis, I wanted to explore how theatre can help people through some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Several of my family mem-bers have been diagnosed with dementia, and I have seen first-hand how devastating this can be. Through my research, I learned that this experience is not only mine but is shared by millions across the globe.I chose to explore how depictions of dementia in theatre can challengestigmas and ultimately improve the quality of life of people with dementia and their loved ones. As scholar Anne Basting argues, a dementia diagnosis is frightening, but it can be so much more.Exploring how theatre and drama can be used to improve quality of life is something I am hoping to continue in my future studies.Dementia Reconsidered by English scholar Tom Kitwood is considered to be a seminal text within the field of dementia studies (Kitwood, 1997). Kitwooddeveloped the Person-Centred Care (PCC) Model and the Personhood Theory of Glitch Studios, website, found at https://www.glitchstudios.co/projects-ar- dementia as a response to the dominant medicalised views of dementia, which chive/the-theatre-reimagined-introducing-ar-to-the-stage/. Accessed 24thoften reduce individuals to their cognitive decline. Kitwood argues that individuals June, 2025.with dementia can maintain their personhood despite cognitive decline, and it is societys responsibility to uphold their dignity, agency, and emotional well-being. Groth, H. (2013). Reading Habits and Magic Lanterns: Dickens and Dr Pep- Kitwood poses the question of whether, often, symptoms exhibited by people with pers Ghost. In Moving Images: Nineteenth-Century Reading and Screen Prac- dementia, are symptoms of societys failure of understanding rather than atices.Edinburgh University Press, pp.100125.failure of the brain (Kitwood, 1997:3). Furthermore, Kitwood identifies howJonckheere, E., & Vanhoutte, K. (2019). Mtempsycose as attraction on thenegative social attitudes, such as infantilisation or mockery, can dehumanisefairground: the migration of a ghost. Early Popular Visual Culture, 17(34), pp.people with dementia, which reinforces a sense of lost personhood. 261278.Theatrecrafts, website, found at https://www.theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/ Redcape Theatresdevised production, 1 Beach Road (2011) depicts dementia shows/beauty-and-the-beast/. Accessed 24th June, 2025. through a tragic lens. In representing the process of receiving a diagnosis, the questions asked are verbatim from a real doctors appointment assessingcognitive ability. Jane sits downstage centre, with a bright white spotlight38 39'