Kesen Boke Ichiza - Part 1

Dear all,

So sorry it's taken me more than a week to update this blog. I've been kept very busy! Here is the first part of my report on Kesen Boke Ichiza. I'll be posting more in the coming days. Hope everyone is ok in the wintry conditions.

Dementia has become a far-reaching issue in our rapidly ageing society, and Kesen Boke Ichiza’s aim is to reach out into the community and promote a better understanding of dementia and its related issues through a series of short comedic and poignant plays. The show lasts one hour, and then there is a discussion and a series of workshops that follow.

Boke Ichiza believe that their shows are far more effective than any lecture in helping the community become more aware of dementia related issues.

The theatre company was formed in 1994 under the initiative of Dr Uchide and the staff of the Kesen Day Service Centre, a dementia-specific day care centre in Ofunato. The theatre group is made up of care workers, social workers, group home managers, folk singers and teachers. They have given over 250 performances to over 80,000 people. They are all volunteers.

They tour to schools, community venues, theatres, and have recently returned from Australia where they took part in an Aged Care conference in Adelaide.

The short plays in their show are based on materials collected in what they call ‘the good stuff notebook’. This is a record they keep of older people’s real speech and any interesting stories they’ve heard from them, their care workers or their families. Every play is based on a real person’s story.

There are four plays in the show. Below is a brief outline of each one.

The differences in forgetfulness
Dementia begins with forgetfulness, but there are huge differences between forgetfulness due to advancing age and that of dementia. The company demonstrate the difference between the two by doing the same play twice. The first time the older woman is frustrated she’s lost her purse, but is able to joke with her family about it. In the second version she has become withdrawn and frustrated, and eventually starts to panic because she can’t find her purse. Her family become very worried about her, and don’t know how to support her.

Battle over meals
In this play the company show how a family responds to repeated requests for meals by their grandmother who has dementia. The play gives the audience ideas on how to get the grandmother involved in meaningful activities in the home, and ways of providing structure for her. This play aims to reassure people that dementia doesn’t mean the end of your life or the end of your families life, but that it can have a positive effect on everyone.

Support in the community
This play involves a business woman who is not coping with her mother who has dementia. She feels ashamed of her mother’s illness, and finds it difficult to talk about to her family and friends. The play raises awareness around community responsibility and compassion for people with dementia, and their families. With support from the local community the daughter is able to be more open about her mother, and this support helps her deal with her mother illness.

Mental Longevity – the time that you can still be yourself.
If you are diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, what would happen to your job, your family and your mind? This play follows a man in his fifties who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimers, and the effect this has on him and his family. It ends with a strong, poignant message which makes you think about your own life, and what would happen if you were diagnosed with Alzheimers.


“The general perception that “dementia is a real tribulation” will be completely dispelled if people have a good understanding of the characteristics of dementia and ways to deal with them. If you accept slightly unusual speech and behaviour of people with dementia as part of their personalities, you will realise what pure, gentle and lovable individuals they are. You will also see, through our plays, that the elderly with dementia are able to live and lead an ordinary life with us in the community" Dr Yukimi Uchide.


I’ve been invited to a rehearsal of their show in preparation for their journey to Yamaguchi Prefecture in a couple of days. I’m travelling with them, and have even got a small part in the show as Susan Boyle’s sister, need I say anymore?

We are travelling over 1000km to give two performances. The first performance is on Friday night to an audience of care workers, and the second performance is on Saturday afternoon as part of a dementia care conference for healthcare professionals from all over Yamaguchi prefecture.

Here is a flyer for the conference.

Here are some photos of the rehearsal in the Tenjin Kai facility in Ofunato a few days before we travel. The first image is from the play ' The differences in forgetfulness'.

The image below is taken from the play ' Battle over meals'

Below is Dr Uchide watching rehearsals.

Boke Ichiza love to have fun, they love to laugh, and often rehearsals stop because someone has started giggling!!

The journey to Yamaguchi started on Friday morning at 5am.We travelled to the station and caught the Shinkansen train to Sendai, then a 2 hour flight to Fukuoka, then another Shinkansen to Yamaguchi.

We arrived in Yamaguchi, and were greeted by the organisers of our trip.
Yamaguchi is famous for Fugu. Fugu is the Japanese word for puffer fish and the dish can be lethally poisonous. The fish has to be carefully prepared to remove toxic parts and to avoid contaminating the meat. Fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine. I’ve been told we’re having it on Saturday night!

Below is a photograph of the theatre company and Karin Boyle on arrival at Yamaguchi station with the poisonous puffer.

We travel to the community venue deep in the mountains and start to set up for the show tonight. Everyone is making props, rehearsing lines, and getting ready for a dress rehearsal.

Below is a picture of Kamiko San - she plays the grandmother in the first play. She is writing the theatre company's name in beautiful calligraphy. The sign will be displayed on stage.

Below is a view from the window of the community venue we're performing in tonight. We are surrounded by rice fields and mountains.

Dr Uchide makes sure local people are involved in every performance, so there are three local care workers in the show tonight. She believes that involving local people in the show helps the audience feel closer to the story.

Here are some photos of the dress rehearsal.

And here are a few video clips from rehearsals through to dress rehearsal and performance. You can see Dr Uchide directing a local care worker in how to wave his sign!

The show was a success. People laughed and cried. The company is relieved it’s gone well after such a long day travelling. My little part as Boyle's sis went well, thank you.

It’s 11pm and everyone is shattered. We check into our hotel room and sleep until 7. Then we’re up and out again to perform at a conference on dementia care in the next city.

The end of part 1. I’ll leave you with a quote from Dr Uchide.

“I have people who are important to me, people I rely on, people I want to support, people I want to see, places I want to go, and places I feel a strong attachment to. I am sure you do too. People with dementia are no exception. We should always be aware that they have wishes and dreams like everyone else. And when their wishes and dreams are shared with their families, care staff and the community, then they are achievable. I think their dreams can become a source of power for them to live happier lives.
I believe elderly people with dementia can continue to take the lead and live their own lives when we learn their life histories, actively engage with them, and value their brilliance as individuals. I also believe, that despite their condition, they can reaffirm who they are when we value and respect the things that they regard as important in their lives”

Part 2 will follow soon. Love to all.