A small suitcase holds the life of former opera primadonna Louisa McCrae (Vivienne Powell). Now suffering with dementia and living in a nursing home, she slowly unpacks the suitcase as each item jogs a fragmented memory: her first husband’s jealous outbursts, deep talks with her best friend Lizzie, meeting the love of her life in an art gallery. Diva is the story of Louisa’s life, where each memory is like a puzzle piece, gradually revealing a woman coming into herself.

Powell can’t be praised highly enough for her affecting performance. She imbues Louisa with a fragile, girlish quality that remains throughout, carrying us convincingly through the highs and lows of her life. Diva also would not be the same without Powell’s rich singing voice humming with gentle vibrato at key moments in Louisa’s career. What really sets this apart, though, is its thoughtful portrayal of dementia. It’s a pervasive assumption that people with dementia are no longer their former selves at all, and while Diva takes the time to mourn for what the disease has taken from Louisa, it also takes pains to show that her memories and her relationships still touch her. This is a show that’s as empathetic as it is powerful. 

Diva, Assembly Rooms, until 24 August, 4.20pm; main picture: Rupert Thorpe.