HCX was absolutely blown away by Theatre With Teeth’s latest performance, Bright, a stunning debut play written by Eva Carrol and directed by Josie Farmer. Bright delves into the tumultuous lives of three siblings as they try to come to terms with their mother’s serious illness, while still navigating the obstacles of school, the future, and everyday life.
For such a difficult and heavy subject, Eva approaches it with care, humour and honesty, writing a heart-warming story that completely absorbs the audience, making them laugh and cry in equal measure. At just over an hour, Bright takes you an emotional roller coaster, plunging you into the pain and love of this family’s world from the very first moment.
The simple set and costume worked perfectly to set the scene and not distract from the strength and power of the dialogue. Watching actors Sally, Will, and Stan as the three siblings on the stage, you couldn’t imagine a better trio, so attune to each other, perfectly in synch and at odds. It was easy to forget that they are acting, because of how completely they embodied their characters. The entire cast, many of which are first years, had an energy and a vulnerability which was magnetic and refreshing. Every aspect of the play, from the dialogue, to the way the actors interacted on the stage, felt natural and real.
As a result, Bright takes one family’s experience and crosses boundaries, taps into feelings that everyone in the audience understands. You can’t help but grow to love this family, for all its flaws, and feel their grief and fear and hope as if it was your own. Bright reminds us that we are all human and afraid, but ultimately that we have hope as long as we have each other.