Instantaneous Blue is a salve for anyone who has experienced loss. Written by Aaron Craven, the play delves into the disarray that dementia brings into the lives of families. His experience as a member of the “sandwich generation” – a generation of middle-aged people who raise children while parenting their parents – along with his experience as a curator of plays and advocacy work in the world of dementia was the catalyst for creating this work.
The play follows Edward and Sara as they navigate the journey of welcoming their first child into life while shepherding Edward’s declining parents out of it. Their relationship frays as they maneuver the endless challenges of a disease that is God-like in its mysterious ways. Caught between the worlds of assembling IKEA baby cribs and visiting gerontologists, between finding time for sex and searching the city for a lost mother, and between navigating professional obligations and familial disaster, Sara and Edward are pushed to the emotional brink. Will they or won’t they make it through this?
Instantaneous Blue gives voice to those living the dementia journey and takes the experience out of the shameful shadows and into the dignified light.
Keywords: Alzheimer's, Dementia, Aging, Caregivers, Family, Parents.
Produced by Waterfront Theatre, Vancouver BC, January 2023
Genre: Drama
Acts: 2
Run time: 120 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Contains references to sexuality, coarse language, and scenes of physical struggle.
Cast size: 7 actors
Male roles: 4
Female roles: 3
Casting notes: Three of the actors play two or more roles.
“Director David Mackay and an excellent cast deliver a powerful production of Craven’s intelligent, sensitive script, with a bravura performance from Patti Allan as the mother victimized by Alzheimer’s. ”
- Jerry Wasserman, Vancouver Plays
“Fantastic...Whether or not your parents are struggling with dementia and old age, you can’t help but feel for the characters in Instantaneous Blue as they maneuver their way through this exquisite disarray we call life. ”
- Ashley Cau, Filled Up Cup