A thought-provoking play exploring themes of ageing and dementia and the effect it has on married couples and families was movingly brought to the stage by Redlynch Players last week.

Written by local playwright and former Green Party candidate Barney Norris, The Visitors follows the lives of elderly farming couple Edie and Arthur, living in a farmhouse on Salisbury Plain.

Arthur (played by Graham Simpson) thinks he's strong but is prone to falling down, while his wife Edie (Ali Silver) is succumbing to dementia. When blue-haired, young carer Kate (Gina Hodsman) bursts into their lives she brings a breath of fresh air as well as issues of her own. Meanwhile, their only son Stephen (Andrew Harrison-King) faces difficult conversations with his parents over the future and the inevitability of finding a care home and having to sell the family farm.

Ali Silver was outstanding as the ailing Edie. As she weaved between rambling reminiscence, razor sharp coherence and moments of vacant silence, you could really believe you were in the presence of someone with Alzheimers.

Set in the centre of the Redlynch village hall with the audience seated on three sides around it, the simple stage design featured a couple of arm chairs, a lamp, side table and a pouffe. Wheatsheafs had been artistically placed around the outside to create the farmland surroundings.

A carefully selected piece of music called 'The End of the Beginning', by British-born composer Oli Julian, and clever use of lighting successfully divided the scenes.

Under the clever directorship of Lloyd Perry, Redlynch Players skilfully and sensitively brought this poignant subject to stage.