The Truth About Ageing

What’s on offer?

Join us for a theatre play which invites you to explore and reimagine how we want society to view ageing and older age.

May is 75 and disgusted about the stereotypes of ageing and older people she sees around her. When an opportunity comes to be part of a documentary about ageing, she jumps at the chance to tell a different story of hope and thriving. However, it soon becomes clear that the documentary makers already have a narrative in mind: one of problems, hardship and despair. Can May convince them to change this narrative, or is it too strong for her to challenge?

The performance is followed by a 30-minute Panel and Audience Q&A.

What’s it about?

The Truth About Ageing explores how we can reframe ageing and older age from being seen as a problem to be dealt with to an opportunity to thrive. It is a follow-up to the Reimagining the Future in Older Age Project, exploring older age and the future. The play uses Forum Theatre, a type of theatre which enables an audience to intervene and change the action, reimagining how we want society to view ageing and older age.

Following the performance, there will be a Panel and Audience Q&A to discuss the issues raised by The Truth About Ageing. The panel will feature Professor Alison Bowes and Dr Melanie Lovatt from the University of Stirling, Dr Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care, and Suzanne Dance, Actor and Facilitator with Active Inquiry. The panel is chaired by Dr Hannah Graham, University of Stirling.

Who’s leading the event?

Dr Melanie Lovatt, University of Stirling.

The play was developed in collaboration with Active Inquiry and Scottish Care.

Active Inquiry is a theatre company based in Edinburgh. They create plays with and for communities enabling them to use theatre as a catalyst for dialogue and to uncover and challenge oppression. 

Scottish Care is a membership organisation and the representative body for independent sector social care services in Scotland, covering private, charitable, and not-for-profit social care organisations. 

Open to

This event is open to all.

Of particular interest to

The performance is of particular interest to anyone interested in ageing and older age in the future, and attitudes to ageing in our society. 

Scheduling information

We will be running two shows of The Truth About Ageing :

Thursday 9 November 2023, 13.00-15.00

Friday 10 November 2023, 13.00-15.45 (Including Panel and Audience Q&A)

Event booking deadline

24 hours before the event starts.