Review: The Light Trail, The Hope Theatre

Review: The Light Trail, The Hope Theatre

Thankfully psychological well being is changing into extra brazenly mentioned. On social media, influencers are sharing their private experiences, while on our televisions we see dramas and documentaries about such points. Yet I’ve by no means seen a play that represents psychosis and schizophrenia. These are nonetheless extensively thought-about taboo and signs are sometimes misunderstood, maybe as a result of individuals are unable to completely grasp their results, right here demonstrated by Ellie (Heather Campbell-Ferguson) and Priya (Nusrath Tapadar) in The Light Trail.

In the center of The Hope Theatre’s stage is a big empty field, paying homage to a sandpit. Throughout the play, the actors use each side of the area, interacting with the viewers and addressing their monologues to folks sitting within the entrance row. This intimacy amplifies the depth of the themes mentioned.

We are initially launched to Ellie and Priya. Ellie, a soccer fanatic, is seventeen and experiences her first crush on her teammate, Jas (Sophia Decaro). Priya is Jas’ older sister and is debating whether or not to go to legislation college or take up a spot on a inventive writing course. At the start of the play, it’s unclear how the characters are linked, but by intelligent writing and anecdotes, the items of the puzzle come collectively and their tales intertwine. When referencing a dialog with one other character, the actors double up and synchronise their strains, which hyperlinks them, but it surely was tough to disregard that their timings had been typically off.

Initially Jas’ voice has been taken away: we don’t hear her expertise in her personal phrases till simply earlier than the interval. Before then she is silenced, like so many with psychological well being points. This powerlessness is emphasised by Priya answering the psychiatrist’s questions on Jas’ behalf. However, the second half of the play is principally from Jas’ perspective as she particulars the leadup to her breakdown and aftermath of her prognosis.

Decaro’s depiction is trustworthy and spectacular. She humanises Jas and manages to inform her painful story with out melodrama. When she portrays a psychotic episode, I actually believed that Jas had witnessed “signs from God”. Tapadar’s appearing is excellently understated. She performs a personality who navigates a household preferring to comb points beneath the rug slightly than brazenly focus on them (with the play warning of the risks of doing so), which requires a quiet energy to carry all people collectively. In distinction, Campbell-Ferguson performs a comical Ellie, who had the viewers laughing at her witty asides and facial expressions. One specific description, “insecurely loud”, gained an enormous chuckle. The solid fuse effectively collectively and complement one another.

Director Lata Nobes writes “the show is at points chaotic, confusing and an assault on the senses”. Chaos is certainly conveyed by a number of threads of psychological well being points which are sporadically talked about after which ignored, corresponding to Jas and Priya’s mom’s alcoholism and their uncle’s sectioning. This then makes the blissful ending irritating and flat: it felt sanitised and unbelievable, as if tied up in a neat bow.

Throughout the 2 hours, The Light Trail efficiently balances the connection between the three characters, with components which are highly effective, shifting and galvanizing. Unfortunately it tries to cowl too many points, in the end making Jas’ breakdown much less genuine and unrealistic.

Written by: Lydia Sabatini
Directed by: Lata Nobes
Produced by: Yusuf Niazi and Matt Farley

The Light Trail performs at The Hope Theatre till 26 November. Further info and bookings could be discovered right here.