Internationally acclaimed The Nature of Forgetting comes to Jersey Opera House

Internationally acclaimed The Nature of Forgetting comes to Jersey Opera House

A powerful celebration of memory, identity and the moments that make us who we are.

Jersey Opera House will welcome the internationally acclaimed Theatre Re to its stage this October with The Nature of Forgetting – a moving and visually striking production exploring memory, identity, relationships and what remains when memories begin to fade.

Running from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 October, the production is presented at Jersey Opera House with the support of Walkers.

Created by Theatre Re and directed by the company’s founder and Artistic Director, Guillaume Pigé, The Nature of Forgetting has captivated audiences around the world with its unique combination of physical theatre, live music and compelling storytelling.

At the heart of the production is Tom. As he prepares for his 55th birthday party, seemingly ordinary objects spark a journey through moments from his past – childhood, friendship, love and family – as fragments of memory come vividly to life around him.

Rather than focusing on what is lost, The Nature of Forgetting explores what makes us who we are: the relationships we form, the experiences we share and the emotional connections that can endure beyond memory itself.

The production was created following a collaboration with neuroscientists and interviews with people living with amnesia and other forms of memory loss. The result is a piece that approaches its subject through humanity, movement and emotion rather than presenting a clinical or literal account.

Rebecca Stanier, Programme Manager at Jersey Opera House, said:

“After seeing this production last year, I knew it would be perfect to bring to the Opera House. The piece really shone as a joyous exploration of life, encouraging reflection on the importance of creating memories. The pertinence of bringing a beautiful performance that has been developed in collaboration with Dementia and Alzheimer's specialists to Jersey, where Dementia Jersey and The Memory Assessment Service play such a key part in supporting locals, felt like the perfect opportunity to collaborate and bring together the arts and the health sector.”

Continuing the conversation

Following the performance on Tuesday 13 October, audiences will also have the opportunity to partake in a special post-show Q&A exploring some of the themes raised by the production.

The panel will bring together perspectives from the worlds of theatre, counselling and clinical practice and will include Guillaume Pigé, Artistic Director and founder of Theatre Re; Dr Sian Wareing-Jones, Clinical Lead and Counsellor at Dementia Jersey; and Dr Juan Melendez, Associate Specialist Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead in the Memory Assessment Service.

The discussion will offer audiences an opportunity to delve deeper into the ideas behind The Nature of Forgetting, hear about the creative process that shaped the production and explore the wider questions it raises around memory, identity and human connection.

Guillaume Pigé, Artistic Director and founder of Theatre Re, said:

“Back in 2015, the making of the The Nature of Forgetting started with a question: ‘what is left when memory is gone?’.

To develop the piece, we collaborated with UCL Neuroscience Professor Kate Jeffery. Research on memory and amnesia formed the basis and foundation of our explorations. In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, we interviewed older members of the community, as well as people living with dementia and their carers, to create links between the science and real human experience.

Those of us living with dementia lose the ability to form and reconstruct memories. They struggle to think about the future. They are in the present and only in the present. Of course, this is debilitating but could also be liberating and beautiful. It reminds us of Emily’s line in Our Town: ‘Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? - every, every minute?’. If there is one takeaway from the past few years of making, touring, refining and breathing new life into The Nature of Forgetting - it’s to remind ourselves to be present, in the moment, and realise life as we live it. 

Ultimately, our piece is not about dementia. It is about the fragility of life and that eternal ‘something’ we all share that is left when memory is gone.”

Theatre Re is one of the UK’s leading visual theatre companies, creating work that combines original live music with striking visual and physical performance. Its work has toured extensively in the UK and internationally.

Dr Sian Wareing-Jones, Clinical Lead and Counsellor at Dementia Jersey, said:

“I was very moved by ‘The Nature of Forgetting’. It shows us that while powerful memories may remain, the words attached to these may be lost, creating confusion for the person themselves and for others. Mime seems to be an ideal medium for helping us understand this complex and often challenging reality for people with dementia and their families. This production draws our attention to this so well”.

Dr Juan Melendez, Associate Specialist Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead in the Memory Assessment Service, said:

“Dementia is often perceived as the loss of our brain’s ability to “perfectly” store information. However, memory is much more complex than that. Memories are imperfect and dynamic. They are renewed and transformed every time we recall them. A memory can also be a feeling rather than a byte of information.

We cannot remember all our life experiences. In fact, we do not need to.  We only remember the ones that really matter to us; the memories that evoke an emotion in us. These do not need a conscious recall. A particular place, smell, sound can revive them. 

The Nature of Forgetting does not represent loss; it creates spaces and situations where we do not need to recall consciously and where imperfection is beautiful”.

The Jersey performances are sponsored by Walkers, continuing Jersey Opera House’s work with local organisations to bring high-quality and thought-provoking live performance to Island audiences.

James Turnbull, Partner in Walkers’ Jersey office and CSR committee member, said:

“We are committed to supporting initiatives that make a positive contribution to Island life, and this production is particularly meaningful to us given our long-standing support of Dementia Jersey as our chosen charity. The Nature of Forgetting offers a powerful exploration of memory, dementia and human connection, and we are pleased to support Jersey Opera House in bringing this important conversation to audiences across the Island.”

The Nature of Forgetting has received international recognition since its creation, reaching audiences across the world while retaining the intimacy and humanity at the centre of its story.

Through movement, music and storytelling, it asks questions that are relevant to us all: What makes us who we are? How do our relationships shape us? And when individual memories begin to disappear, what remains?

The Nature of Forgetting
Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 October 2026
Jersey Opera House

A special post-show Q&A will take place following the performance on Tuesday 13 October.

Tickets are available from Jersey Opera House.