“None of us want to be reminded that dementia is random, relentless, and frighteningly common.”
Laurle Graham

Date and time: Sunday 2 October 2016, 8.00PM
Venue: Theatre (St James Cavalier)

Latest data show that approximately 1.5% of the Maltese population has dementia – a figure which is expected to triple by the end of 2050. Il-Masġar tal-Allat Siekta (‘The Forest of Silent Gods’) is a socio-cultural and educational representation of Alzheimer’s disease in the hope of generating more awareness on this particular disease which afflicts thousands of Maltese individuals.

The project centres on a family of three individuals grappling with the diagnosis and aftermath of Alzheimer’s disease, the latter being the most common form of dementia. It is based on the experiences of the author, Professor Charles Scerri, with individuals who suffer from dementia, as well as on the daily struggles of their caregivers. The various stages of disease progression starting with diagnosis, denial, anger and finally acceptance are key components of the various monologues constituting the play, which furthermore, reflect society’s stigma against mental diseases including dementia. A brief discussion on the subject will follow the performance in order to explain further what needs to be done if symptoms of the disease are noticed.

This project is part of Science in the City and is supported by the Malta Dementia Society, HSBC (Swatar), and the University of Malta.