REVIEW | The Light House, Leeds Playhouse

Reviews

6 Oct

Reviewer - Joseph

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

Letting the light outweigh the dark.

The Light House manages to do something unbelievable. Bringing light to a dark place and helping us to feel the most powerful of emotions: Hope.

This is no mean feat, especially when dealing with the subject of suicide. Alys Williams captivates the audience for the entire runtime, her ability to play on both sides of the fence is key. We as an audience are going on this journey with her, at times literally, incorporating audience participation in a way I haven’t seen before, in some ways with reverence, but also humility.

The real-life story of her friend is well told, poetic and personal in just the right ratio. With the lighthouse as an ever-looming metaphor, it never manages to stray into gimmick as well, which shows Williams’ writing skill.

The set and lighting design is simple, but very effective, giving the audience enough to form their own pictures. Using practical effects to create an atmosphere that encouraged the audience to immerse themselves in the world. Music and Sound Design also play a large part in the piece, and it is done tastefully and beautifully. Andrea Heaton’s direction makes full use of the space, including walkways, this gives us a palpable connection to the story, which only burns brighter as we carry on.

It was interesting to see a side of mental health that we don’t normally see, the fallout. The community around someone and how it affects them. It was also refreshing to see a less morose take on the subject, rather than pulling on our heartstrings to make us cry, it felt like they were pulling on our hearts to make us listen, and boy did we.

This production deserves an audience, to bring hope to a nation that is crying out for it. One person every 40 seconds takes their life each year worldwide. What do we need to do?

MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD! Throw out a buoy. Call control. Blow the whistle.