Living With The Lights On
Young Vic
17th March 2016
5 Stars
It is an incontrovertible truth that there is nothing the theatre does better than examine and send itself up. Living With The Lights On, Mark Lockyer’s brutally honest and searingly candid journey from promising actor at the RSC to meltdown, and subsequent path back to a life in balance, is an extraordinary piece of work and an imperative contribution to the theatrical landscape for anyone whose life has been touched by mental illness. (Which, by the way, is everyone.)
A one man show, especially one centred on the reflections of an actor’s career, could easily decline into an evening of self-indulgent narcissism; however we are immediately disarmed by Mark himself who greets everyone personally at the door and welcomes us into the studio space at the Young Vic. Bouncy and affable, Mark reiterates and soothes us that we need leave all the conventions of theatre, the fourth wall etc behind because he is simply there to tell a story.
But what a story! With theatrical detritus strewn across the stage, Mark weaves the tail of his life up until this moment. Leaping from one vivid and cutting characterisation to another absurdly banal impersonation, Mark leaves the audience in stitches, fighting for breath. Yet, spinning on a sixpence he delivers killer emotional blows and reveals the fragile vulnerability of a man on the edge. Mark’s unravelling is heralded by the introduction of a slippery American who introduces himself as the devil and doggedly pursues him, aggressively undermining his relationships with family, friends, lovers and eventually reality itself.
Mark’s increasingly outlandish behaviour transforms from rakish pomposity to dangerous delusion as he robs from and emotionally damages those trying to help him. I was astounded at his openness to share and explore the hurt and shame he inflicted on those who loved him, and the groans from the audience are audible as he betrays and deceives the characters he described so lovingly previously. Eventually after multiple suicide attempts, arson and after passing through various psychiatric institutions Mark’s actions land him in prison where he heartbreakingly describes feeling “safe” “…behind metres of brick,” for the first time in years.
Just as movingly commendable is his reluctance to condemn any of the numerous medical and legal professionals through whose jurisdiction he passes. On the contrary he stands proud at the end citing that he is a “vindication” of the system as through their hard work and effort he has been able to make it back to normal life. Lockyer’s oscillation between arrogant name dropping and humble gratitude are what make this piece of theatre so appealing. Whilst recollecting his stage time in classical roles his verse glitters with a powerful muscularity that makes you wish to see him in a full production.
It is clear to see how much this production has already evolved under the lucid direction of Ramin Gray, but where it will go after this short run and how it will develop is anyone’s guess. The material and the performance are certainly deserving of a longer run, but ultimately this story is a platform for a man to exorcise his demons. If the intention of this production was to reintroduce Mark Lockyer back into the theatrical community, it surely has done it’s job, but if it was to promote discussion on the timely issue of mental health, its repercussions will definitely reach much further.
