All Change @ Assembly George Square
A gentle play, performed with care and pathos
Directed by Tom Marriott and written by his son, TH Marriott, All Change is a touching tale about the bitter reality of dementia. Set in one room of the family home Ivor now lives in alone, his daughter attempts to pack his belongings for the inevitable move to a care home. Semi-aware of what is to come, Ivor thwarts her at every turn before disappearing back into his reminiscences.
As Ivor (Tom Marriott) slips further away, lost in his trains and crosswords, Lily (Stefanie Rossi) tries to reach him across an ever-growing divide. Stoically smiling as her father berates her for her absences and fails to remember those who have already passed on, Lily puts on a brave face whilst battling her own demons. There are moments of lucidity, where the two lock horns in an old game they both fondly remember, and there are flashbacks to meaningful moments from their shared history. It speaks to the tragedy of the illness that these glimmers are short-lived.
All Change is a very gentle play, and both written and performed with a huge amount of care and pathos. It is a little stilted at times, with some of the direct address monologues seeming to lack direction, but Marriott and Rossi foster a bond that smacks of real feeling and sincerity. The slight twist in the tale makes it all the more compelling, and there are delightful moments that make this a piece as heart-warming as it is melancholy.
All Change, Assembly George Square Theatre (The Box), 17-27 Aug (not 19, 21, 23, 25), £10-12
Scroll on to read more of The Skinny's 2018 Edinburgh Fringe theatre reviews; click here for a round-up of all the best reviews from this year's comedy and theatre programmes