Guest Blog: Luke Adamson On ONE LAST WALTZ at Greenwich Theatre

One Last Waltz - a play I've written based on my personal experiences with my grandad, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease - is transferring to Greenwich Theatre. As I go back to the rehearsal room, I keep thinking about all the reasons behind this production.

Grandad was diagnosed a few years ago, and we'd been wondering for a while what was wrong; it was creating quite a lot of tension in my family. At first it was simple things - he was forgetting where he'd left his keys or where he put his jumper, things like that - but then it started to become a little bit more serious, as he was putting himself in danger by putting metal objects into the microwave or plastic containers in the oven.

We were starting to get quite annoyed with it and he was getting annoyed with himself. When we eventually got the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, it all started to make sense. After Grandad started his treatment - certain pills that can slow the effects - things became a lot easier.

This made me think of a TV commercial I'd seen a few years earlier that said "The sooner we catch it, the more of your loved one we can save", and that stuck with me. But when it actually came to it, we didn't know what we should have been looking out for. We didn't know what the signs were.

I wrote One Last Waltz with the aim of pointing out the type of behaviour, the signposts if you like, that could indicate Alzheimer's.

Once my grandad was living with carers, I spoke to them about Alzheimer's to get further insight into the condition. I also got in touch with the Alzheimer's Society, who read and provided feedback on the script and supported our first tour of the show back in 2015.

It was very important for me that the script was not only entertaining and moving but also factually accurate, delivering the message that the Alzheimer's Society would like to get across and assisting with the work that they're doing.

While writing the play, it was quite cathartic for me to recollect the previous few years and the occasions that caused the family worry or stress due to Grandad's actions. Now we had the diagnosis, his actions made much more sense and quite a lot of these 'moments' ended up in the play! It was also lovely to look back and remember all the stories he told us about his life and especially about Blackpool.

I really wanted to challenge myself, as a young male writer, to write a play for an older female cast. I formed the characters quite quickly; they owe a lot to my late grandmother, my aunties and cousins - strong northern women with a 'can-do' attitude. The subject matter and these characters went together perfectly and resulted in a piece that I am very proud of, and one that has been brilliantly received wherever it's been performed.

Sadly my grandad passed away just before Christmas, so this revival of One Last Waltz is dedicated to his memory. I hope that the production will resonate with those affected by the disease and help raise awareness about its symptoms.

One Last Waltz is at Greenwich Theatre 9-17 March

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