The difficulty of dealing with a parent with Alzheimer’s is the subject of Dayna Steele’s one woman play The Woman in the Mirror.
Despite the current crisis in social care and the emotional pain of watching a parent change from what they once were, Steele’s comic play embraces the lighter side of care giving. She tells Entertainment Now why she’s happy if it helps other people realise they are not alone.
Tell us about your show. Why should we go and see it?
The Woman in the Mirror is an uplifting and unusual comedy about a daughter navigating her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Before you think, “Well, that sounds depressing,” let me assure you: audiences laugh a lot. Sometimes they laugh and cry at the same time, which is a weird but wonderful thing. It’s based on my own caregiving journey and my book Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine. If you’ve ever cared for someone, loved someone, lost someone, or simply have or had a mother, you’ll find yourself somewhere in this story. If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother …
What is your favourite thing about your show?
The audience. Every night someone tells me, “I thought I was the only one who thought that, laughed at that, felt that.” Caregiving can be incredibly lonely, and watching strangers realize they’re not alone is pretty magical. Also, I love hearing people laugh at things they were convinced weren’t funny.
Do you have a Fringe idol?
Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fleabag proves that a deeply personal story can become universal. Also, if my Fringe experience ends with a hit TV series, I will not complain.
What three words best describe your performance style – and why?
Authentic. Funny. Fearless.
Authentic because it’s my real story. Funny because humor is how I’ve survived most things in life. Fearless because at 66, I’m hauling a play across an ocean and performing at the largest arts festival in the world. Fear left the building a while ago.
Who are you looking forward to seeing in Edinburgh?
This is my first Fringe, and I want to soak up as much talent, creativity, and controlled chaos as possible. And friends we have made from three previous trips to this magical place. I hope to survive another pub crawl with them and a possible tattoo.
What do you hope to achieve in Edinburgh – what are your hopes and dreams?
I’d love for the show to find a bigger life beyond Fringe—touring, the West End, maybe Broadway. A streaming adaptation wouldn’t hurt either. Mostly, though, I want people to connect with the story and carry it with them long after they leave the theatre.
What are the biggest obstacles you face as a performer at the Fringe?
Being one of approximately 47,000 performers all trying to get attention at the same time.
What do you hope the audience will take away after an hour in your company?
That laughter is the best therapy. That they’re not alone. That caregiving matters. And they call their mother.
How do you plan to relax and recharge when not on stage?
I am a creature of habit and will stick to what works – up at sunrise wherever I am in the world, read for two hours, walk/workout, write Today’s Facts (my attempt to right the world), and eat well. Also bringing Wonder Husband with me, he’s my touch stone.
What is your idea of a perfect Fringe day?
See the above and then my afternoon show ending with one caregiver knowing they are not alone and did (or are doing) the best job they can. Seeing an amazing show. And ending the night thinking, “I can’t believe this is my life right now at 66!”
The Woman in the Mirror, 15. 15, Zoo Southside, August 7 – 30
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-woman-in-the-mirror
