Review: DEMENTIA MAN, AN EXISTENTIAL JOURNEY at DCJCC

Dementia Man, An Existential Journey, written and performed by Samuel A Simon with support from Gabrielle Maisels (Dramaturge) and directed by Thadd McQuade is a one-man theatrical performance during which Sam navigates life upon learning he has early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. This true story transports the audience into the heart and mind of Sam as he encounters new cognitive obstacles and comes to terms with a looming reality.  

Sam brings us along his journey as he grapples with his fear of losing his sense of self as a lifelong “trouble maker,” a successful lawyer, and a prominent activist. As he learns more about the impact of his cognitive disease, he’s confronted with a choice of accepting a future marked by decline, or taking control by pursuing a peaceful, deliberate death. While he considers these possibilities, his story comes to life so vividly that one almost forgets there is one man on stage with a script. Sam’s story offers a raw, unfiltered view into the challenges one faces when beginning to lose cognition, including the fear of the unknown; the urgency of the decisions that have to be made; and the tribulations of navigating a broken healthcare system all while balancing the desire to live a full life, a comfortable life, and a life of service to others.

The themes unearthed are painful and heavy, but this play is not a tragedy. The performance offers a hopeful, uplifting, and heartening vision about living with cognitive impairment, loving those with cognitive impairment, and embracing accommodations to ensure those who are touched by it can maintain a sense of acceptance, control, and purpose.  Since this performance starts and ends with Sam’s advocacy-oriented trouble-making tendencies, I believe it is worth noting that Sam’s tendencies remain strong. Through this performance, he counters the societal narrative that death is better than having a neurocognitive disease and is leading a movement to reconsider how we understand, view, and treat those with neurocognitive disorders.  

Although a running theme throughout this performance is the fear of vanishing to nothingness, the standing ovation that this performance has already received demonstrates that Sam’s story will leave a lasting impact on those who see it.