Autumn 2025 I engaged for the first time with age-dedicated groups. In the first instance with an Older Women and Health project set up by Bristol Women's Voice Bristol Women's Voice and supported by Bristol Older People's Forum. Main home - Bristol Older People's Forum The focus here being the ageist way older women are often treated in health care settings. I was apprehensive at first because the composition of the group was very different from the often arts orientated older women I was used to mixing and identifying with. At an initial meeting I gave a presentation which began with the title of this blog and which drew on negative stereotyping and positive appreciation of diversity in later life. I could see that some of the group could not relate to my critique. For example no one knew of the campaigning organisation Advantages of Age. Advantages of Age | Substack Nevertheless one of the leaders of the group suggested I do stand-up for 'The People's Comedy' at a popular Stokes Croft venue. I gave it some serious thought but more of that below.
Secondly I signed up for a contemporary dance class for older people at my local Trinity Centre, Gerry's Attic Dance. Gerry's Attic Dance Company — Trinity Community Arts Totally loved it and plan to go on if possible. A great crowd of dancers but largely in the comfortably retired bracket so whilst enjoying their company can't help but feel different as a working arts professional (who hasn't had a holiday for 4 years!).
For the immediate future in May 2026 I will be performing extracts from 'The Benefit' under the title of 'Sartorius'. A twenty minute slot focussing again on tailoring and on the Jewish and Irish migrations to London over the decades. This fits with the theme of the Diaspora Festival organised by Diverse Artists' Network which I have been affiliated with for the last decade or so.
Despite my near non-existent Italian I have just started helping dear friend Yasha Maccanico with his script: 'The Art of Translation'. This has the potential to be a powerful political piece of theatre charting the inhumane system of deportation of migrants resident in Rome. This awful state of affairs is filtered through the character of Vera who works for a translation service that supplies the EU Parliament and who has a moral commitment to re-present their intentions. The image below is of myself and Yasha's partner, the incredible theatre maker Rebecca Braccialarghe from a few years back working on a piece as part of a fundraiser for Bristol Refugee Rights
Back to Am I 'Elderly' or What? It occurred to me that it would be better to make a short film here in Bristol and post it on social media. It will include the problematic relationship we in the U.K. still have with the language of ageing, how stultifying and ageist it is, how it does not reflect my generation and what we can we do to create a better environment for generations to follow. Hope to complete this summer 2026.
