The Arcadia

An honest new work about memory, Dementia, care, and striving for connection in care homes.

Whether you’ve been touched by Dementia, work in care, or simply wonder what remains when words and memories begin to slip away, this moving piece of theatre invites you in. Funny, tender, and honest, The Arcadia is for anyone who has ever loved, lost, or reached out for connection, even when the script goes off course.

Across the stage, performers gather and disperse, returning again and again to empty chairs and a worn wooden table as memories flicker, dissolve, and start again. Echoing the lived experience of Dementia and the realities of the care home system, the piece promises moments of humor, awkwardness, heartbreak, and unexpected tenderness. The Arcadia doesn’t just ask you to observe; it invites you to remember, to feel, and to connect, long after you leave the theatre.

First conceived at the Manifest Festival 2024 at the MAC Belfast, and showcased at the Lambeth Fringe Festival 2024, The Arcadia is created and performed by Steven Millar & Ensemble, with support from Amadan Ensemble. Also supported and funded by Arts Council of Northern Ireland.