On a beautiful, sunny Monday evening, I headed into the Jewellery Quarter to The Blue Orange Theatre to see Fluff, a one woman show that explores life, love, family, and Alzheimer’s. The play follows the eponymous Fluff (Tayla Kenyon) from pre-birth to almost death, as she navigates life’s challenges – her childhood, her struggles in her job as a teacher, her parents’ relationship and the decay of this as her father gradually loses his memory, and the threat of this illness looming over her too. It struck emotional notes, explored trauma, and maintained humour throughout, all of which made Fluff an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience.

The use of just three different chairs as props managed to brilliantly conjure up the play’s different settings – one medical, one educational, and one recreational – and Kenyon very effectively and humorously switched between the play’s myriad of characters. However, while the majority of the time she played all the parts with ease, there were moments of voiceovers – intended as the external (usually medical) roles within the play – and also some sound effects, which on the whole I felt to be unnecessary and interrupted the flow of the play. The exception to this was the use of music, and one Roy Orbison song in particular, which throughout the show highlighted the key role that music can play in memories and memory loss, and, unlike the other sound effects, undoubtedly added another dimension to the play.

Kenyon very effectively and humorously switched between the play’s myriad of characters

Throughout the play I was left feeling slightly unsettled and as though the different scenes of the play were a bit too disjointed for my liking, but by the finale, when most of the vignettes came together, I realised that this too is reflective of memory and the snippets of moments, the key characters, and the events that are recalled. Although it wasn’t necessarily the most smoothly flowing play, in some ways this just added to the experience and the difficult subject that Fluff addresses.

Although it wasn’t necessarily the most smoothly flowing play, in some ways this just added to the experience and the difficult subject that Fluff addresses

Overall, although I didn’t always find Fluff the easiest play to watch, in part due to the uncomfortable subject matter, and in part due to its disjointed and at times jarring nature, I was left with a sense of sadness and nostalgia, and what felt like a very personal reflection on an illness that so many people will, have, or are experiencing. The play is in support of The Alzheimer’s Society and Breakthrough (collections for these charities were taken at the end of the play), and Fluff is doing admirable work to discuss such a sensitive but sadly common illness.

Rating: 3/5

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