Welcome to 1 Beach Road

1 Beach Road is the new play from the award-winning RedCape Theatre, coming to the Unity on Tuesday, February 21 and described as a tale of “friendship, coastal erosion, Alzheimers, synchronized swimming and trying to turn back the tide”. Drawing from the true “Coastal Erosion stories” of Happisburgh, interviews with residents and extensive study into Alzheimer’s disease, the play looks at the metaphorical connections between coastal erosion and memory loss and asks, “what is it like to lose everything - your home and your memories?” Relentlessly the sea swallows first the road, then the row of bungalows and finally eats its way to the back door of the Bed & Breakfast 1 Beach Road, where the inhabitants, Victoria and Jane, refuse to budge. RedCape says they are committed to telling true stories that matter, move and entertain, with ordinary people in extraordinary situations. They are acclaimed for their unique visual and physical storytelling, sense of humour and original writing. In Happisburgh, since 2004, 24 metres of land and 26 homes along Beach Road have vanished. 80 year-old Phyllis lost her retirement bungalow. Diana & Gill's B&B's garden disappeared. One family home was re-valued by their bank. It is now worth £1. Government policy means that it looks likely that they will receive no compensation for their losses. Every night as they sleep in their beds residents listen to the crash of the waves and the slow thumps of land falling into the sea. During the initial research and development of the show, the company began to explore the metaphorical connection between alzheimers and coastal erosion. As your home and belongings erode away from coastal erosion so your memories fade away from Alzheimer's, so in 1 Beach Road, RedCape explore themes around memory loss and dementia. For more information, visit the Unity's website.