There is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention – Jack Studio Theatre, Brockley

Writer: Henri Merriam
Director: Sophia Capasso

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Visual Unpacking”

3 / 5

When our unnamed protagonist first met Tom – she thought he was everything she wanted in a partner. Comparing their love to that of romcoms and fairytales, she knows what a good relationship should look like, so when Tom slowly starts displaying copious red flags, she knows she needs to save herself and not look back.

Henri Merriam is a captivating performer – who descriptively brings the audience through various stages of her life – as a young child singing along to her Celine Dion CD, in the early stages of her relationship with Tom, the subsequent pain that she goes through and the aftermath of her healing. Each memory is recounted with a strong level of emotion and a believable level of frustration, confusion and disappointment.

Shahaf Beer’s set design is simple but brilliantly efficient and effective; just a singular chest of drawers in the centre of the room. The drawers are packed with random items – party poppers, feathers, a teddy bear, leaves, a chaotic assortment of accompaniments to her stories. Used to visually unpack the characters life, Merriam deftly pulls out various props and mementos from each one, slick and polished movements that create a sense of intrigue as the audience wonder what else is packed away – both in the drawers, and her life.

It’s a short show – running at 70 minutes long, but a lot of material is packed in. Merriam’s eagerness to explore each aspect sometimes results in information overload, one minute we’re at a New Years Eve party, the next we’re in a field watching cows. While the non-linear storytelling style helps to paint a broader picture of the relationship, some better pacing is needed to allow some of the scenes to land with more impact, and the end currently feels a little lost compared to the rest of the script. In addition, there’s a few abstract scenes, such as when she becomes Eve talking to a snake in the garden of Eden, or goes on a tangent about Grease, that feel very removed from the overall narrative, diluting the genuine rawness of the monologue, and lasting a beat too long.

Merriam is a strong on-stage presence and her script is at its best when the story is completely focused, measured and engaging.

Runs until 14 June 2025