Clêr Stephens reprises the role of Mags in Belonging 2018

As we near the end of another successful tour of Belonging around Wales and a visit to Ireland, Clêr shares her thoughts on families affected by dementia and reprising her role as Mags.

"As time goes on there will more and more older people and a higher number of those will be living with dementia. I’ve seen a few plays dealing with dementia and I think Belonging shows the ripple effect, there’s the person living with dementia and then there’s the family and the carers.

The character I play is Mags. She and Morys have been married 42 years. They met in their teens and are just one of those very down to earth couples who've worked hard all their lives, not big major ambitions, just steadfastly going through life and then they're suddenly faced with dementia.  They have no children so the next generation isn’t there to support them.

I don’t think there’s enough support for people living with dementia and their families at the moment, and it’s not going away, it’s very short-sighted. You can’t just chuck dementia in a box, shut the door and hope it’s going to go away. It’s not. Wake up!"

Mags (Clêr Stephens) and Morys (Llion Williams) on their wedding day

"I think the connection with my character, Mags comes from the fact that I have friends and family who have a connection to that world. I’ve seen how they’ve had to adjust their lives. I feel their frustration.

Re-Live haven’t done this play just so you can leave, get fish and chips on the way home and forget about it. I believe they help to spread the word, raise awareness and make connections between people going through similar circumstances. It’s not a play that says ‘goodbye we’re leaving you on your own’; they are very supportive of people in a long-term way.

If there’s someone who meets us and it changes the way they look at people with dementia, or we can show carers our support, then it’ll be worthwhile."

Belonging will be showing at The Borough Theatre, Abergavenny on Weds 6th June.                2pm & 7.30pm performances. 

Information and tickets here: https://boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk/events/belonging/

Mae Clêr Stephens yn atgoffa rôl Mags yn Perthyn 2018

Y cymeriad rwy’n chwarae yw Mags. Mae hi a Morys wedi bod yn briod am 42 mlynedd. Fe gwrddon nhw yn eu harddegau ac maen nhw jyst yn gwpl halen y ddaear sydd wedi gweithio’n galed trwy gydol eu bywydau, dim uchelgeisiau mawr, jyst yn mynd trwy fywyd ac yn sydyn dyma ddementia’n taro. Does ganddyn nhw ddim plant felly nid yw’r genhedlaeth nesaf yno i’w cefnogi nhw.

Wrth i amser fynd ymlaen, bydd mwy a mwy o bobl hŷn a bydd nifer uwch o’r rheini yn byw gyda dementia. Rwyf wedi gweld rhai dramâu yn mynd i’r afael â dementia ac rwy’n credu bod Perthyn yndangos yr effaith ehangach, mae’r person sy’n byw gyda dementia ac yna mae’r teulu a’r gofalwyr.

Dydw i ddim yn credu bod digon o gefnogaeth i bobl sy’n byw gyda dementia, a dydy cyflwr ddim yn mynd i ffwrdd. Wrth i ni heneiddio, mae mwy o bobl yn byw gyda dementia. Mae’n fyr-weledol iawn ar hyn o bryd. Ni allwch chi jyst taflu dementia mewn bocs, cau’r drws a gobeithio y bydd yn diflannu. Dyw e ddim. Deffrwch!

Morys (Llion Williams) and Mags (Cler Stephens)

Rwy’n credu bod y cyswllt gyda fy nghymeriad, Mags, yn dod o’r ffaith bod gennyf ffrindiau a theulu sydd â chysylltiad â’r byw hwnnw. Rwyf wedi gweld sut maen nhw wedi gorfod addasu’u bywydau.Rwy’n teimlo eu rhwystredigaeth.

Nid yw Re-Live wedi cynhyrchu’r ddrama hon jyst er mwyn i chi allu gadael, cael pysgod a sglodion ar y ffordd adref ac anghofio amdani. Rwy’n credu eu bod yn helpu lledaenu’r gair, i godi ymwybyddiaeth ac i greu cysylltiadau rhwng pobl sy’n mynd trwy sefyllfaoedd tebyg. Nid yw’nddrama sy’n dweud ‘hwyl fawr, rydym yn eich gadael ar eich pen eich hun’; maen nhw’n gefnogol iawn o bobl mewn modd hir dymor.

Os oes rhywun sy’n cwrdd â ni a bod hyn yn newid sut maen nhw edrych ar bobl gyda dementia, neu’n gallu dangos cefnogaeth i ofalwyr, bydd y cwbl werth yr ymdrech.

Mae Perthyn yn agor fory - 6 Mehefin - Borough Theatre, Abergavenny

Tocynnau a gwybodaeth yma: https://boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk/events/belonging/