Earlier this year, Drawing Voices completed phase 1 of The Ripple Effect 2026 Project, bringing a bespoke pop-up performance to Together groups in Letchworth and Stevenage, dementia support groups run by Memory for Hertfordshire under the Alzheimer's Society.

From January to March, our designer Laura and writer and director Anna worked with participants across four sessions at each group, exploring stories through art-making, music and conversation. We made postcards of familiar and unfamiliar places, directed live musical improvisation with actor-musician Annabel, and gradually built the world of two travelling storytellers, Barolus and Aliana.

Those sessions shaped everything: the characters, the tone, the stories. Anna then took all of that into the rehearsal room to write and direct the show, while Laura pulled together the costumes and props. Together with performers Annabel and Calum, the team brought Barolus & Company's Storytelling Extravaganza to both groups in mid-March.

What struck us most was how vocal our audiences were, responding to the performers, joining in, and making the performance their own, including some strong opinions about Barolus's trousers. That kind of exchange is exactly what live theatre can do, and it was a joy to be in the room for it.

We are now working through feedback from both groups as we develop phase 2, which will bring Barolus & Company to new audiences in Hertford and High Wych later this year.

This project is supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.