Robert Tanitch reviews Little Light at Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, Surrey
What is going on? What is wrong with Alison, Teddy and Clarissa? What sort of strange ritual are the trio going though during the meal and why? Are they mad?
“I should never have come!” declares Simon, an Outsider. Later he says, “I feel there is something you’re not telling me.” (The audience immediately identifies with this remark and laughs.)
It takes some time to fully understand what is going on. Will the characters ever be able to put what has happened behind them and move on? I doubt it very much. Grief is a terrible thing. Can the mind ever recover? Can there ever be closure?
The power of the writing is undeniable. The play is written by Alice Birch and is acted straight through without an interval and lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes. David Mercatali’s production keeps a tight grip throughout.
Little Light must be fiendishly difficult to act. The cast is impressive and includes Lorna Brown, Paul Rattray and Yolande Kettle as the trio and Paul Hickey as the Outsider.
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