Dorine and André with their son in André and Dorine. Photograph by Gonzalo Jerez.
André & Dorine, a masked drama and physical theater show from the Spanish company Kulunka Teatro, presents the life of a family as they confront a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s for the matriarch, Dorine. This heartfelt play captures the frustration and roller-coaster of emotions that families undergo when caring for a family member with the disease.
André is Dorine’s primary caretaker, since their son does not live with them. He does stop by to check in on his parents and take his mom to the doctor. However, André is the one who must provide Dorine with around-the-clock care. His new role requires a lot of shifting and patience. He is not accustomed to taking care of his wife as she has been the one primarily in charge of the household and familial duties while he focused on his career as a writer. He discovers a well of patience and a newfound love for the woman who has been his partner for decades.
André and Dorine on their wedding day. Photograph by Svend Andersen.
At first, André comes off as self-centered, especially when, even as an older man, he competes for space and silence for his writing, not allowing Dorine, who is an accomplished musician, to play her cello. The quirks seem to be an old couple’s annoyances with one another, but as the story unfolds, and the audience views the flashbacks of their life, the imbalance of their relationship is more apparent. When André must reverse roles and care for Dorine, his love for her is demonstrated in another light. He is sweet, delicate, and accepting: After Dorine believes socks should be worn on her hands, and after a few failed attempts to counter her, André accepts this new trend and wears the socks himself.
The performers, Jose Dault, Garbiñe Insausti, and Edu Cárcamo, rotate the characters they take on, as each dons different masks throughout the show. Their movements and control of the masks are skillful and engaging, and they convey the emotions and personae of these characters without using any words. They are hyperbolic when they need to show anger or joy. They are also smooth and sometimes wistful in their movements when they need to portray sadness or disappointment.
The play, for the most part silent, is enhanced by sound and music. Sounds include the everyday noises of André and Dorine’s lives, such as André’s typewriter, Dorine’s cello, or the doorbell. The lively and elegant music by Yayo Cáceres flows smoothly with the actions of the characters, speeding up in moments of active physical activity and mellowing out in more reflective moments. The scene transitions are also seamlessly paired with the music. Additionally, Cáceres’s work even takes on the role of a character in this non-verbal play. There comes a time when Dorine is scared of André because she no longer recognizes him; the music here has sharp notes to reflect her fear and then slows to show his sadness.
André consoles Dorine. Photograph by Svend Andersen.
Garbiñe Insaustit has designed masks with exquisitely fine details that capture the ages and personality of the characters. There are two sets of masks: one each for the younger and older versions of the characters. In addition, there is a baby version of their son that is adorable and playful.
A cozy living room set designed by Laura Gómez provides a desk, chairs, books, cello, and photographs. The last will be reminders of André and Dorine’s lives as a young couple growing their family. One of the flashbacks shows how André musters up the courage to ask for Dorine’s phone number. After the awkward and funny back-and-forth of his pen running out of ink and almost giving up on getting her number, Dorine uses her lipstick to write on the piece of paper. When the flashback is over, André walks over to one of the photos, takes it off the wall and pulls off the back to reveal the same piece of paper Dorine had written her number on. He had kept it safe in the picture frame all those years. It is a tender moment in the play where he remembers how much she means to him.
André & Dorine is a soul-warming show that pulls at the heartstrings. The characters, masks, and music all work in unison to create a beautiful yet real world of the perils of living and surviving with Alzheimer’s.
André & Dorine is playing at Theatre at St. Clement’s (423 West 46 St.) through May 29. Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; matinees are at 3p.m on Sunday. For more information, visit andreanddorinetour.com.
