Wed 13 Nov, Barnfield Theatre
By Joshua Shane Watts
Part of the explosive Reclaim Festival, Bright Places greeted a small yet lively crowd in the Barnfield on its opening night in Exeter, on Wed 13 Nov. With only a short stay in the city before continuing their tour, the “three-woman-one-woman” cast did their utmost to make an impact on the crowd.
Reclaim Festival
The play is largely autobiographical, and we follow its writer, Rae Mainwaring, as she relays her experience being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of twenty-three. Portrayed simultaneously by three actors, donning the moniker of “Louise”, the play illustrates how chronic illness can happen to anyone, anytime, and just how chaotic it can be when it does. Every line is raw and truly honest, often dripping with a venomous satire that is nigh on impossible to capture without having truly lived it. Behind the cheerful veil is an unmistakable anger – anger at her illness, at the universe, and at the people who don’t understand.
As someone who struggles with chronic illness myself – albeit not with MS – this sentiment resonated with me greatly. I found myself thinking “me too!” at the smallest and saddest of statements, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry at least once or twice… or thrice. I felt like I truly connected with Rae on an emotional level, despite her being played by three separate actors, constantly swapping back and forth. It’s a kind of connection and understanding that I believe can only be felt by those in the same, or at least similar boats.
Despite all the hardship and anger, Bright Places is an incredibly hopeful ode to the future. Rae posits that though MS is a large part of her life, it does not dominate nor define it. Through this production she has channelled her illness into her muse; it really made me consider my relationship with my own illness, how it may affect my life in the future, and how I cannot let it define me as a person. And most importantly, it made me feel like I wasn’t alone. Having had the pleasure of interviewing Rae before the production hit the stage in Exeter, I went into the theatre with a clear picture of what to expect: a fun, heartfelt representation of a lesser-known condition that endeavoured to make us laugh and cry in equal measure – and it certainly did not disappoint.
Read the Interview
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