Going Dark

This takes place in the round (well, square actually) in a small dark space – sometimes very dark, sometimes completely dark. There’s one actor and three small spaces in which he performs. The night sky is sometimes projected onto the low ceiling. The only other character is a child whose voice is part of Dan Jones’ extraordinary soundscape, the impact of which is heightened during the periods of complete darkness.

The play tells the story of a single dad who is going blind. He also happens to be an astronomer, so his story is interwoven with that of the universe. You do learn about the universe, but more importantly it’s a moving tale of the effect of oncoming blindness on this little family. Even though you only hear his voice, six-year-old Leo seems as real as his dad, who we do see (I would name check him, but I wasn’t prepared to pay £4 for the playscript and he’s not named on the website!).

This is on a much smaller scale than Sound & Fury’s extraordinary Kursk, but technically well accomplished and in its way its a little gem. Traipsing out of the front of the theatre and round the back to enter seemed pointless (unlike Hamlet, where it had a purpose), but I was enthralled by this short 80 minute piece which I would recommend as something different – if you’re not scared of the dark, of course!