"Skylight" by David Hare

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre.

Here is a play that I've not seen before, and I ended up questioning myself as to why this real gem of a play has not been performed locally previously.

"Skylight" details the meeting of two former lovers, Tom who is in his fifties, and the thirty-year-old Kyra. We meet them three years after their break-up.

For nine years, the two had worked closely together as Tom built his restaurant chain.  During this time, Kyra lived with Tom’s family, becoming a friend of his wife Alice and a babysitter for their two children Edward and Hilary.  And, for six years, she was Tom’s lover until Alice found out and Kyra abruptly walked out, cutting off contact.

The play is set in Kyra’s flat in a seedy neighborhood in North London. Edward, now eighteen, appears in scenes at the start and end of the play, but the heart of the drama is in two long scenes, sandwiching Edward's visits, in which the former lovers verbally dance around each other and their unsaid, and then revealed feelings.

The reasons why Kyra evacuated the home lay unknown to Edward, as we find out due to some clever placed questions in the script in his first visit to Kyra.

There is a lot of script to digest for Ellen and Paul, and at times it almost felt like they were playing a game of tennis, each actor volleying lines to the other. It also shows that they had taken so much time to, not only learn the script, but to get beneath the script and fluently deliver and understand the anger and hurt behind the words, as well as the misunderstanding behind past actions; almost like being a fly on the wall of a warring married couple.

Kyra Hollis is played by Ellen Woszatka. With most plays just getting the timing and flow of the script going with your on stage partner can be hard enough, but roster the timing in with having to make a meal on stage at the same time is not an easy ask, but Ellen created a deliciously aromatic spaghetti meal while carrying out heated debates with Tom. Playing emotive roles is nothing new to Ellen though as I saw her last year as Becca in "Rabbit Hole".

Paul Spruce plays Tom Sergeant. There are times in this play that you just want to go and shake Tom because of the way he sees women, and lesser mortals that orbit his life. He tries to explain away that Frank, his driver who he has left in the car while he has popped in to see Kyra, is grateful for having to sit in Sergeant's flash car with the stereo playing Kiss FM and peruse magazines of an adult nature, because of the amount of money that Sergeant pays him. You realise that Sergeant has got by on paying people large sums of money to do his will. and climbs the ladder of success by standing on the hands of the people who don't climb quite as fast as he does. 

That attitude is also similar to the way that he treats women. He even suggests that his wife died to spite him and get back at him. he wonders why Kyra is willing to accept what she has with her humble flat, lack of proper heat and even the standard of cheese she offers him to grate for the meal. Anyway, I think you get the idea as to the kind of self importance he has. You may remember Paul from "Abigail's Party" last year when he was a little more hairier.

Joe Downing plays Edward Sergeant, Tom's eighteen year old son, who until recently lived with his Dad. Due to an argument with his Father, where Edward offered up a few home truths, forcing him to move out and sofa surf with a fellow workmate. It is indicated that it's not the sofa that Edward is surfing with his female work colleague, and I loved the explanation as to why she is the only woman who would sleep with him! Edward, while understanding how to treat Kyra - this is shown near the end of the play after picking up on an earlier conversation on what Kyra missed about living in the Sergeant household.

This is Joe's debut at the Lace Market Theatre, but I've seen him on stage a few times over the years at Long Eaton's Duchess Theatre where he has shown that he is a versatile actor indeed.

Directed by Ian Smith, this must truly have been a labour of love for any Director. It has tender recollections, angry shouting matches, misunderstandings, rants and spaghetti, and keeps you glued to the actors for the whole time, well I say that but there are other things happening that will take your attention away from the main stage. More of that later! The pace is, at times frantic and there were times when I thought it would come close to blows with Kyra and Tom. At other times, the pace is so controlled, especially with the timing of the cooking.

Set Designer for "Skylight" is Steve Musson, and the set and the projections are almost like extra cast members. The flat setting is wonderful. There's a working kitchen, complete with running water, electricity and hob, electric sockets for appliances like lamps and a portable heater. There's even a thank you card on one of the kitchen cupboards from one of Kyra's pupils. Just about every thing that you would want in a flat is there on show. Possibly one of the best sets I've seen lately at The Lace Market Theatre, and that is saying something because every set of late has been fantastic. The props have been sourced by Ian Smith, Steve Musson and Melanie Hamilton.

I mentioned the projections and these are incredible. Julian Kemp and Matt Allcock have created the backdrop projections which show an adjacent block of flats and a more affluent skyline of the city. These projections are constantly changing and moving. For instance, the lights of the flats opposite are turned on and off at various times, and then there is the fall of snow in the projections. I alluded to these changes in the projections earlier because you can be in the middle of watching the actors and then  in the background a light might be switched on in one of the flats opposite, which momentarily takes your eye off the main action. The projection also takes you through from dusk till dawn gradually. 

Lighting Design and operation is by Philip Hogarth and the Sound Design is by Laurie Owen. There's some lovely musical interludes included here and even the timing of the intercom all play parts in making this play the hit it is with the opening night audience. Additional recording is credited to Rory Williams.

Another little thing that I also liked was the advisory note in the programme which warned about adult language and cooking. Here's another advisory note; make sure that you eat before you come and see this power-packed play, make sure you come with a full stomach, because the smell of the garlic from the stage kept my mouth watering non-stop.

"Skylight", the first play in the Lace Market Theatre's new season runs until Saturday 18 January. An excellent start to the 2025 season at the Lace Market Theatre.

Photography by Grace Eden Photography.