Conceiver & Director: Guillaume Pigé
Theatre Re have an established reputation for thought-provoking and punchy physical shows, and their one-night performance of this work to a sprawling Hackney Empire packed to the rafters proves exactly why; The Nature of Forgetting is as joyful as it is stirring, and anyone looking for an exceptionally executed and accomplished show does themself a disservice by missing out here.
The narrative is simple, albeit one that plays out with interesting non-linear flourishes. We start with Tom (Guillaume Pigé, also Creator and Director) getting dressed on his birthday, his daughter Sophie (Luna Tosin) assisting him despite the fact that he repeatedly mistakes her for his absent wife Isabella. It becomes quickly apparent that Tom struggles with dementia, not just in this case of mistaken identity but also in his very ability to navigate the world around him, and he soon loses himself in a past that, although increasingly confused and jumbled, is a far happier place than his deteriorating present.
We follow Tom back through cherry-picked moments in his life, primarily through childhood memories of school and friends that are brought to life with an inventive and ever-changing staging that shift like slippery strands of fading memory. It would be easy for the show to lean exclusively into the slow-burning tragedy of Tom’s condition, but the genius of Pigé’s vision here is that just as much joy is found in Tom’s troubled ramblings through his mind as loss and tragedy; both are enhanced by the presence of the other, though at times the lighter material can dominate more than might be perfect.
If this balance here is imperfect, it’s the only part of the production you could say as much for. The performance of the whole show is pure motion, everything expressed through the bodies of the ensemble (Pigé, Tosin alongside Claudia Marciano and Calum Littley) who match the prowess of professional dancers with committed and absorbing multi-role performances. All this is brought to life with some of the most intense lighting design (Katherine Graham) you’re likely to see all year, and if that sounds too superlative, wait till you hear the incredible live soundtrack from Alex Judd, Henry Webster, Nathan Gregory and Mary Johnson, tying every element together.
Theatre, and in particular physical theatre, rarely gets as good as this. So much is expressed non-verbally that the show cuts through all barriers of language, age, whatever, so if you find any joy in performance and Theatre Re’s upcoming tour of the show lands anywhere near you, you owe it to yourself to catch this must-see show.
Reviewed on 8 October 2026 and continues to tour
