The Glow at the Royal Court Theatre

It’s 1863 and the audience find themselves are in a dark, forgotten cell in a Victorian asylum. A waif-like Dickensian woman with a hoarse voice has been left down here, forgotten for who knows how long. Mrs Lyall, a spiritualist medium seeking to break down the barriers between the material world and the world of spirits, has come to take this woman into her home as a new “passive” assistant – essentially a body for spirits to possess. But this girl is not what she seems, and as her past reveals itself and time begins to unravel, it becomes clear that this is a very different story from what was first expected.

The Glow is a dark fairytale that recalls The Woman by Dorothy Waites, who argued that a recurring image of a lonely female figure in paintings was a symbol used to pass commentary on the age she was depicted in. Her controversial book has a small but devoted following of people who believe the woman is a real, immortal person who is still out there somewhere. Here, the concept is played with and used to explore the loneliness of appearing human but not belonging or being accepted. The trope of a supernatural being who just wants to be human has been done, but this story feels fresh enough to put a new spin on an old tale. 

The stage at the Royal Court is sparse and dark, with candlelight illuminating the first part of this play. Light and shadow are used to create the atmosphere and changing scenes, whilst physical objects are barely present. Visual displays are projected onto the walls and occasionally the performers’ clothing, sometimes as fire or oceans, with impressive effect. The costumes are well chosen and are a good fit for the personalities and time period portrayed.

Fisayo Akinade (Mason, Mrs Lyalls’s put out son) does a great job of bringing humour to his characters. Ria Zmitrowicz (Sadie) brings a believable transformation from a confused, meek waif to coming into her power and accepting who she is. The writing is beautiful in parts and weaves an arc about the human experience into this mythical fairytale in a way that feels genuine. The Glow is a fresh, profound story that sticks in the mind.

Sophia Moss
Photo: Johan Persson

The Glow is at the Royal Court Theatre from 24^th January until 5^th March 2022. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch a trailer for the production here: