Bright Places is an original play from Birmingham-based playwright Rae Mainwaring. Developed as part of Birmingham Rep’s artist development program ‘The Foundry’, and now under the finely crafted direction of Tessa Walker, it is available to watch at Birmingham Rep’s ‘The Door’ theatre for a limited run before heading on its UK tour.

Mainwaring’s autobiographical play draws on her own experience of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in her early 20’s and shows an honest portrayal of growing up with chronic illness. The show is an emotional rollercoaster packed with a combination of raw and vulnerable moments of dialogue, blending seamlessly into energetic dance sequences and moments of light-hearted laughter.

The talents of Lauren Foster, Aimee Berwick and Rebecca Holmes form a powerhouse trio bursting with energy and raw emotion and work perfectly to bring Mainwaring’s script to life. Although the concept of a ‘three-woman, one-woman show’ (they all share the role of the protagonist) may at first sound unusual to wrap your head around, the actors work seamlessly together to portray the complexities and vulnerabilities of Louise. The company impressively multi-role throughout the production, bringing a range of believability and comedy to a cast of supporting characters such as the attractive doctor, Louise’s childhood toys, and the members of the support group. The range of characters taken on is assisted by a whirlwind of numerous quick changes incorporated between scenes.

The mise-en-scène is so stunningly 90s, design elements dazzle audiences through a combination of glitter, balloons, brightly coloured costumes and an excellent soundtrack that is sure to make you want to dance in your seat during party sequences in the show. Creative captioning, designed by Virginie Taylor, is incorporated throughout Bright Places, projected onto the back panels of the multi-functional set design, making it a well-crafted accessible performance within which access requirements are not just an afterthought but a core requirement to the success of the show.

A standout scene is when Louise heads on a night out with friends, and even though there are just three actors onstage, their brilliant energy, vibrant dance sequences and of course the use of glowsticks give the illusion of a packed night club. Within this scene, the physical effects of multiple sclerosis are sensitively interweaved as Louise faces moments of weakness, portrayed via a combination of sharp changes and flickering in lighting and music, and a switch in physicalised body movements that reveals the ways in which Louise becomes vulnerable in her prior place of escapist joy.

It is fair to say that Mainwaring’s deeply personal script achieves an impressive feat, presenting the powerful message of the impacts of MS on an individual, and showcasing emotional grief whilst remaining fun and light-hearted through use of dark comedy, which never undermines the core impact of the storyline in Bright Places. A successful example of dark comedy is embodied through the personified myelin sheath who regularly takes on the character of a larger-than-life gameshow host, simultaneously educating and startling audiences through their recurring appearances and plenty of wit.

Bright Places ignites conversations amongst audience members about the honest lived experiences and complexities of multiple sclerosis and chronic illness more broadly, shedding light on an often misunderstood condition. At its essence, a darkly comedic play that will pull on your heartstrings whilst delivering a moving social message.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Heidi Downing

Bright Places plays at Birmingham Rep until 2 November before touring until December 2024. For more info, please click here.