The Forgettory: Pre-Show Notes
Below is the transcript of the pre-show notes for the Adelaide Fringe 2025 season of The Forgettory.
There are two audio files available for this show, the recording of these pre-show notes and the recording of the program given to audience members at the performance.
The audio recording of these pre-show notes is available on my soundcloud here.
The audio recording of the program is available on my soundcloud here.
Pre-Show Notes: Transcript of the Recording
Hi, I'm Tracy Crisp, the writer, performer and producer of The Forgettory. I've written these pre-show notes to give you some added context to the production. It includes general information about the production, followed by descriptions of the theatre space, the sets and props, my appearance and costume and the main actions and movements I perform throughout the show.
Show credits
Written and performed by Tracy Crisp
Directed by Maggie McGinty
Technical design and support by Adam Hawes
Show blurb
Alone in a new city, her last bottle of wine nearly empty, a woman drinks but can never forget. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, her grandfather wanders the past fighting to remember. And in between, there are memories of birth and death, childhood and adolescence. A profound story about a woman's identity, family memory and ageing. If we don't remember who we were, then who do we become?
General information about the production
The Forgettory is one of the six shows in my series of 'memoir monologues.' They are solo shows (I am the only character and performer) and they are all a blend of standup, theatre and storytelling. This was the second show I wrote. However, each of the shows stands alone, and they don't follow a clear chronology so you won't be missing any backstory if this is the only show you've seen.
Each of the shows is based on a particular event or stage of my life. While some of the shows such as An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian are 'mostly true, slightly made-up,' The Forgettory tells the story of real life events.
The Forgettory debuted at the Adelaide Fringe in 2019. I have staged some single performances of it since then, and one repeat season. This is the first time it has been staged since 2022.
The theatre
For the 2025 Adelaide Fringe season, the show is being played in the Studio space at the Goodwood Theatre and Studios. The theatre is on Goodwood Road, on the corner with Victoria Street. During the fringe season, you will enter the theatre through a small gate off Victoria Street. Follow the path straight then to your right and into the foyer and bar area. There is a short ramp leading from the outside into the bar. There will be an announcement made when the doors are open and you will be invited into the studio space. The front-of-house staff will check your tickets. It is a 50-seat space and general admission. If you need assistance to find the best seating for your needs please ask the front-of-house staff and they will be happy to help.
When you walk into the room, the performance space is on your left. It is not a raised stage. The audience seats are to your right. The tech desk is in the corner immediately to your right as you enter. There are four rows of seats. The front row is on the floor and the three rows behind that are stepped up. All of the walls are covered in thick black curtains.
The set and props
The stage is already set when you come in. The lights are on over the audience seats, and the stage is lit with a soft, golden wash.
As with all my shows, the set is a simple one. In the centre of the performance space is an armchair and to the right (from the audience perspective) a small side table. On the left of the armchair is a flax basket holding knitting. The wool of the knitting is black. Further to the right, almost off-stage is a cardboard archive box which is slightly worn. Its lid is closed.
The armchair is vintage style, covered in a fraying, faded brocade fabric in shades of brown. The side table is wooden with one drawer, and on top of the side table there is a vintage-style globe of the world about 30cm high.
During the show some props are taken out of the box. Descriptions of these props are included later in these notes.
My appearance and costume
I am short (five foot two, 158 centimetres). My skin is white. My hair is straight, shoulder-length, brown with grey streaks. I have a fringe. I wear laregeish round, brown glasses. I don't wear much makeup, just mascara, foundation, a light blush and a neutral shade of lipstick.
I am wearing a 50s style dress with a fitted bodice and flared skirt. The fabric is from the Alexander Henry collection called The Ghastlies. It has a white background and illustrations in the style of a spooky, but quirky, children's story with a haunted house and witches. I am wearing black stockings and patent red ankle boots.
Action and movement
In all my performances I am a reasonably static performer and this is particularly true in The Forgettory. I am nearly always seated or standing at the front of the stage.
The show begins with a recorded Welcome to Country. The lights are dimmed, but not blacked out. I am standing in the room just inside the door as the welcome plays. When the Welcome to Country is finished, the intro music plays. As the music plays I walk across the stage to the cardboard box, kneel in front of it, open the lid and take out a bottle of wine and a wine glass. I put the bottle of wine and the wine glass on the floor next to the box then go and sit in the armchair.
There are four scenes in The Forgettory: insomnia, birth, death and dementia. Between each of these scenes, the lights dim, I return to the box and take out props. Between insomnia and birth I take out a pale blue baby playsuit; between birth and death I take out some knitting black wool on wooden needles; and between death and dementia I take out a framed photograph. The frame is oval and vintage style, but the photograph isn't clear to the audience.
The following list describes the key points of lighting and action in each of the scenes:
- In insomnia the stage is lit in a dim blue wash. I am mostly seated, but I am standing as I describe my children's bedroom, as I describe not sleeping during my father's illness, and as I describe my yoga lessons.
- In birth, I am seated throughout. I take a small notebook out of the drawer. In the sections beginning 'dear baby' I am reading directly from the notebook. In those moments, the light is a dim blue wash. In the moments between, when I am speaking directly rather than reading, the light is warm white.
- In death, the lighting is a dim blue and I am mostly seated. The exception is that whenever I say, 'Hi Dad,' I am standing for a moment before settling into my chair. I am knitting throughout this scene. In the final moments of the scene, when I say I will put my knitting down, I put the knitting into the basket and stand downstage centre. The lights fade during my description of my dad's final moments.
- Throughout the first half of dementia, I am standing downstage centre and the lights are a warm golden wash. I return to the chair when I describe moving to Abu Dhabi and stay seated until I describe myself become four women. At this point, I stand and move downstage centre and the light slowly fades as I say the final lines.
When the show ends
The lights blackout after I have said my final line, then come up. As the music starts, I take my bows, acknowledging the team who are there, in particular the technician, Maggie the director if she is in the audience that night and my partner, Adrian.
I open the doors of the theatre and leave. As you leave the theatre, Adrian (or another member of the team) stands at the door giving a small packet of rock candy to everyone who wants one as they leave. The candy is rainbow coloured. In the middle is printed the word 'sixology.' I will standing in the foyer to thank people for coming.
Thank you for coming to The Forgettory and for sharing this time with me.
