Going Dark

Synopsis

How far can you see? A mile? A hundred miles? or to the furthest shores of the Universe to a far away galaxy? It's Max's job to ask the cosmic questions. Passionate about astronomy, he works as the narrator at the city's planetarium where he challenges his dwindling audiences with the mysteries of the stars and science. But in a society that is both polluting the night sky with light and happier to explore the heavens on a smartphone, he feels increasingly out of place. When his own life takes an unexpected turn, Max discovers that seeing doesn't necessarily bring insight and that understanding the universe requires and different kind of vision...

Our Review:

12 March 2012

You enter a pitch black auditorium with a no bags rule, softly spoken ushers and very little visual awareness of the auditorium. Before the play has even begun, Going Dark is an experience.

The story revolves around the life of Max and his six-year-old son, Leo. Max is an astrology lecturer and spends much of the play talking clearly and peacefully about the cosmos. It's clear that he derives a lot of solace from his occupation, and it is this feeling that dominates the play. Sitting in very dim seats, the audience is guided across a planetarium ceiling of the more simple astrological arrangements, being softly reminded of space and our position within it.

A one-man show, perhaps the most charming feature is Leo, present in the form of a clever voiceover that has the intonations of a six-year-old down to the finest detail. The story between father and son is equally charming, weaving Max’s own boyhood with his position as a parent and the overhanging threat of ...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

David Baxter - 12 December 2012:

It was interesting to see Going Dark just a few days after Consellations as they are both ostensibly based on complex science but in fact are more concerened with human relationships. In my view Going Dark is a much better play as John Mackay gives a superb performance as Max, an astronomer who is gradually using his sight. Through extraordinary use of sound and light, including alarming total darkness, we gain some insight into what it must be like to be blind and to share some of Max's fear of losing his job and his ability to look after his six year old son. Sound and Fury were responsible for the remarkably immersive Kursk and this is another moving and unsettling experience....

Read more and add your own review

Related Whatsonstage.com Articles

Going away from the Dark Opening: Callow Shakespeare, Farewell, Menier Party & Squad More»