Care homes benefit from musical friendship with Pitlochry Theatre

Residents living at Balhousie Care Group homes are getting joy from visiting professional actors and musicians from Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT).

The two organisations have entered a beneficial collaboration, making the best of the ongoing restrictions placed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Latest news from the theatre in Pitlochry is it has been shortlisted as Theatre of the Year in the UK-wide The Stage Awards, in acknowledgement of how PFT is trying to make the best of unprecedented times.

In a unique project, residents will enjoy a trio of performance-based activities as well as an educational partnership, in which theatre professionals will help care home activities teams develop music and drama-based skills.

Residents in nine Balhousie Care Group homes across Perthshire are being joined by Ali Watt and Rhys Anderson for solo performances of local tales, Scottish poetry and memorable tunes.

The one-person touring shows are designed to spark a sense of nostalgia and pride in local landscapes and culture.

Ali, a familiar face at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from his performances in a number of the theatre’s Summer Seasons, first took performances into Balhousie Care Group homes when the partnership began in 2019.

This time, to comply with all COVID-19 guidelines, the actor-musician has been a solo performer.

Rhys Anderson, fresh from his run in BBC’s Vigil, will replace Ali part way through the run.

Rhys Anderson performing to residents and staff at Balhousie Ruthven Towers care home (Submitted by Balhousie Care)

He said: “I’m really looking forward to spending some time telling absolutely wonderful stories, reciting beautiful poetry, old and new, and singing away to classic Scottish songs.”

PFT producer, Emma Barr said: “It has been our pleasure to bring theatre, music and creativity back after such a difficult period.

“I hope the residents of the Balhousie care homes enjoy the performances as much as we have enjoyed making them.”

It is hoped that one of the musical performances can be streamed to allow the further 17 Balhousie Care Group homes to enjoy the shows too.

The other part of the collaboration is for the theatre to run workshops with Balhousie activities coordinators, who use drama and music to create a sensory experience for residents.

Activities coordinators in care homes have had an intense 18 months, with visiting restrictions making their entertaining role more vital than ever.

A little help from PTF could be a real lift at the 26 homes in the group.

Deborah Dickinson, producer at PFT, explained: “We recognised, especially during lockdowns, it must have been really tough for activities coordinators to constantly find new ideas and think of things to engage residents and, even more so, when visitors were not allowed in.

“We knew they were all doing amazing jobs, but by delivering sessions through our artistic practitioners, they could perhaps give different perspectives with theatrical and dramatic techniques, as an extra tool for their ‘belt’.”

The initiative forms part of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s ambitious Shades of Tay – a Love Letter to Scotland project, growing and nurturing over 50 pieces of new art by artists and communities over three years.

Balhousie Care Group is also supporting the theatre in building up its ‘Archive of Memories’, an ambitious attempt to collect 1000 memories for an audio exhibition to be hosted in Pitlochry in spring 2022, as part of Shades of Tay.

Residents will be encouraged to reminisce over their lives around the local area and particularly the River Tay.

They will then be invited to record or write their memories and add this to the archive.