Life on a Loop is a one actor play starring Ellie Smith as Grace, a worker in a retirement home. She shares anecdotes and pithy observations about the various people and personalities in the place.
The story paints a complex picture of life in an underfunded care facility. The stories are sad, funny, and oh so poignant. But rather than maudlin, the play illustrates shows the human spirit and a sense of community can be just as robust as anywhere. This is not to put a rosy tint on things though. We see the anger and simmering bitterness of those who feel abandoned. The guilt and denial of offspring who put their parents in these places.
Some visit regularly, while others do so infrequently and make excuses for why not. It is a complex and deeply emotional issue that most of us face at some point in our lives. We are shown the sad and frustrating decline of dementia, but also the deep bonds that can form between people, the joy and the compassion.
As with most one person shows, this one feels more intimate by having a single narrator. Smith is a talented actor and she tells her stories in a gripping way. Evoking emotion, humour and drama, she swaps between various characters and the main narrator. This provides a very human and compassionate view of a time of life many of us would choose not to contemplate.
When combined with a minimalist set made up of various armchairs and a single wheelchair there are no distractions. A large cube of fairy lights enclose the entire space and this provides a colourful boundary, or could it be a metaphorical cage? Grace and the many visitors can leave, but aside from occasional trips outside, most of the residents, particularly those with severe cognitive decline, will never leave.
Life on a Loop is an honest an portrayal of ageing that is both challenging and reassuring.
LIFE ON A LOOP
11-16 November 2025
Q Theatre
