In Cold Light
By Duncan Ley
Everyman Theatre
In Cold Light is a sharp production that hits hard. I went thinking I would watch a murder mystery where we would all gasp at the end when we discovered who actually committed the crime; I came away with the compulsion to reassess the basic premises that are the foundation of my own life.
This very clever script spits out one moral dilemma after another at lightning speed and forces the audience to explore and question its own morals, ethics, religiosity, and capability for forgiveness and faith.
Ley has used the one act play format to good effect. With no interval to allow the mounting tension to escape, the audience is taken on a 1 hour 25 minute journey that demands resolution.
Ley’s writing has a temerity about it that yields a powerful response. And it certainly helps that the calibre of the acting drives his points home.
With only a fleeting glimpse of Hannah Ley as Maria at the very end, the burden of keeping the audience engaged is left to just two actors.
Brilliant casting with Jarrad West as Father Christian Lamori. West’s skill as an actor pulls us in as we are witness to the unravelling of this at first, self-assured dignatory, hiding behind a tenuous bravado. The risks he takes as an actor pay off, so much so that we can feel compassion for this man who we think has done the unthinkable.
Ley’s laconic Inspector is the perfect counterpoint for West’s priest and his propensity for brutality throws us off the scent. The two actors are evenly matched and fit comfortably together, particularly in the more physical scenes.
It says much about a script when it can stand on its own without distractions, and director Duncan Driver’s stark set and economic use of lighting add to the intentionally claustrophobic feel of the play. The lighting transition in the last scene is particularly powerful.
This play is currently in development to be made into a feature film and its easy to see why, as it works on so many levels. It is refreshing to see a well-crafted, provocative work produced to such a high standard by a local, fledgling theatre company.
Congrats to Stephen Pike at the Q for starting off its season with such a bang!
