Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Nanou Harry, Sarah Hawkins, Simone Lewis, Mark Winstanley.

There are times when silence speaks louder than words can ever hope to do so. Whether in anger, contempt or in happiness, the silence, the lack of communication can be deafening and more acute than a random sentence thrown together in praise or sadness.

Vamos Theatre use this silence in such a way that their latest production, Finding Joy, is just that, an exploration into the world of a woman whose life in becoming mixed up and fragmented as she slips further into the debilitating disease of Dementia. No words are ever needed to get the expression of satisfaction of having watched one of the most exquisite, beautifully performed and demanding plays of its kind. The silence, the lack of communication is all but captured with honesty and graceful movement in the masks that the company where throughout.

Joy has seen a lot in her life, the war broke apart her family, the fifties bought her a husband and then later a grandson, Danny, who realising what is happening to his grandmother and takes her under his wing. The way this touching moment was handled was impressive; it took great courage to portray the imminent decline of a fragile mind but between the brilliant Simone Lewis and Nanou Harry it was impossible not shed a quiet tear as they held hands along with Danny’s mother at the end of the show.

The perfect exaggeration of movement by the four performers coupled with the use of masks made Finding Joy simply irresistible, added to this the excellent choreography by Rachael Alexander and the play became something that sought out the very best of humanity whilst dealing with the awful thought of a life slowly regressing away.     

Not everything needs words in life and in this case the unspoken was just incredible, delightful and guaranteed to shed a tear or two. Impressive!

Ian D. Hall.