Violets and hyacinths

In an airport gate the flight is delayed. Five elders indulge in weaving a cloth of memories, unfolding the lives of a whole generation through work, traveling, first loves and childhood, describing images from the time that passed, as well as from the days yet to come. Violets and hyacinths is an optimistic play for the beauty of the end and the importance of the beginning, but also for the everyday life of dementia and the need to communicate.

In recent years, through fruitful collaborations and the valuable support of Charitable organizations we have been implementing a recreational program for nursing home residents. Back in 2016, we took the initiative to conduct a more thorough research on the lives of the residents, finding fragments from the past of Greece, images that we have left behind. We chose to preserve this modern history museum by creating a mosaic of undocumented stories – hidden behind the official history – and by putting on stage the testimonies of those people as a tribute to the years that passed and to the simple everyday moments we so easily overlook. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that people who shared their stories and thoughts with us live with some type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Through our play, we carefully approach the issue of the stereotypical image of the Third Age in an attempt to alter it and at the same time inform the public on the degenerative brain conditions. All the comic elements of the residents’ stories and their humor are present in the play, which also leaves space for fruitful reflection and optimism. Based on the power of theater to sensitize and make social impact, our initiative’s goal is to encourage a dialogue and to pave the way for social awareness on dementia.

The play was produced thanks to a grant by the ΤΙΜΑ Charitable Foundation and the support of two Greek nursing homes.