Camden Fringe 2019: The Art of Caring at Lion & Unicorn Theatre

If you could give someone either the best start in life or the best end to it, which would you choose? Caregiver Gem (Encee Cripps) must work this out for herself as she witnesses first-hand the challenging circumstances that often accompany those looking after the elderly. With inspection day around the corner and a bunch of unruly clients wreaking havoc, Gem fights to keep her nerves at bay – until an enticing promotion comes her way, prompting the attendant to re-evaluate her stance.

As the title itself suggests, The Art of Caring is a play that gears its focus towards the human condition, juxtaposing youth with old age to showcase how behavioural patterns can change over time when loneliness, sensitivity, fear and illness creep in. A one-woman show, whereby Cripps interacts with the imagined geriatric half of the population, as well as seamlessly switching between roles to portray them herself, the piece, which includes stand-up comedy, nostalgic instrumentals and a beautiful display of puppetry demonstrating long-lost love in the most lovely and profound of ways, is a testament to the power of compassion in changing and saving people’s lives.

Co-written by both Cripps and Sam Cartwright, the narrative touches on some key elements; the elderly, too, were young once; they had their lives, their friends, their families, careers and free spirits. With life expectancies on the rise and the gap between the youth and the elderly ever-increasing, The Art of Caring highlights the importance of unity across the age spectrum, encouraging those in charge to increase provisions and funding for social care.                 

Heart-warming and authentic, The Art of Caring illustrates that a little love can go a long way.

Ghazaleh Golpira

The Art of Caring is at Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 23^rd until 24^th August 2019. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

For further information about Camden Fringe 2019 visit the festival website here.