Theatre Review - TINY FRAGMENTS OF BEAUTIFUL LIGHT - ALPHABETTI THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

Written by Allison Davies, Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light is the experience your soul has been waiting for. The Story is of Elsa as she tries to fit in and get on in the world. But how do you fit in when you have an Octopus in your brain? It deals with the misunderstanding, castigations and general awkwardness autistic people can face in a savage world. The frustrations to be found when people who are ‘trying to help’, but don’t, and the elation that can be found when we find people who actually understand us. The plot doesn’t shy away from awkward topics, neither does it throw them in your face, instead hitting the perfect balance of honesty and tenderness. Also, as an audience member, it’s really nice to be given the chance to move a little during a show.

 

It isn’t often you are offered a pair of headphones when entering a theatre but it was an interesting addition to the theatre experience. They provided the audience with a more in-depth soundscape designed by Roma Yagnik that gave a feeling of immersion. For those who don’t feel comfortable using headphones, the show is still just as enthralling without. The stage area is simply marked using wood chippings and plants giving a calming feeling, with a basic pine frame that doubled to be multiple places and things (designed by Verity Quinn).  Director Karen Traynor brought out the gentle humour and warmth in this exquisite piece of theatre. Hannah Genesius as the main character Elsa played a very real performance of a person just trying to get on with life and not be weird. While Zoe Lambert showed a heart-warming tenderness as the Mum just trying to do the right thing. Yemisi Oyinloye played a multitude of interesting characters, all of whom she made distinctly different and fun to watch. The whole show had me engaged from the moment I sat down to long after the curtain call. This play reminds you that you don’t belong in the bin. Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light will give you light in the dark winter. This is not a show you should go to see, it is a show you have to see.

 

Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light is showing at the Alphabetti Theatre 4^th February and 7^th-18^th February.