By james art Bright places is an original play by Birmingham-based playwright Rae Mainwaring. Developed as part of Birmingham Rep’s The Foundry artist development program and now under the finely crafted direction of Tessa Walker, it is available to view at Birmingham Rep’s The Door Theater for a limited time before going on your UK tour.
Mainwaring’s autobiographical play is based on her own experience of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her early 20s and presents an honest portrait of growing up with a chronic illness. The show is an emotional rollercoaster filled with a mix of raw and vulnerable dialogue moments blending seamlessly into energetic dance sequences and moments of light hearted laughter.
The talents of Lauren Foster, Amy Berwick and Rebecca Holmes form a powerful trio brimming with energy and raw emotion and work perfectly to bring Mainwaring’s script to life. While the concept of a “three-woman-one-woman show” (they all share the title role) may sound unusual at first glance, the actors work seamlessly together to portray Louise’s complexity and vulnerability. The company is impressively multi-role throughout the production, bringing a range of credibility and comedy to the cast of supporting characters such as the lovable doctor, Louise’s toys and members of the support band. The range of characters is aided by a whirlwind of numerous quick changes included between scenes.
The mise-en-scène is so stunning from the 90s, the design elements dazzle the audience with a combination of glitter, balloons, bright colorful costumes and an excellent soundtrack that will surely make you want to dance in your seat during the party sequences in the show. Creative lettering designed by Virginie Taylor is featured throughout Bright placesprojected onto the back panels of the multipurpose set design, making it a well-crafted accessible performance where accessibility requirements are not just an afterthought, but a primary requirement for the success of the show.
A standout scene is when Louise goes out on a night out with friends and although there are only three actors on stage, their brilliant energy, vibrant dance sequences and of course the use of glow sticks create the illusion of a full nightclub. Within this scene, the physical effects of multiple sclerosis are sensitively interwoven as Louise encounters moments of weakness, depicted through a combination of abrupt changes and flickering in the lighting and music, as well as a shift in physicalized body movements that reveal the ways in which which Louise becomes vulnerable to in her previous place of escapist joy.
It’s fair to say that Mainwaring’s deeply personal script achieves an impressive feat of delivering the powerful message of the impact of MS on the individual and demonstrating the emotional grief, while remaining funny and light-hearted through the use of black comedy that never undermines the core impact of the plot. c Bright places. A successful example of black comedy is embodied by the personified Myelin Sheath, who regularly assumes the character of a larger-than-life game show host, simultaneously educating and startling the audience through recurring appearances and plenty of wit.
Bright places sparks conversations among audience members about the honest experiences and complexities of multiple sclerosis and chronic illness more broadly, shedding light on an often misunderstood condition. At its heart, a dark comedy play that will tug at your heartstrings while delivering a stirring social message.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Heidi Downing
Bright places plays at Birmingham Rep until 2 November before touring until December 2024. For more information please click here.