From the Darkness: Light - How the Light Gets In at South Camden Theatre Company

by Stephen Kreal

On Friday, May 2nd, I attended the opening night performance of How The Light Gets In at South Camden Theater Company. How the Light Gets In written by Ellen M. (E.M.) Lewis, premiered at Boston Court Theatre in Pasadena, California on September 29, 2019. The play won the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award in 2020 which includes a $25,000 prize and is given for excellence in script writing. I have no idea what the other finalists were, but this script surely deserved to win! Warning: The pre-recorded curtain speech included a trigger warning about sensitive topics. To learn more, please contact the theatre directly at 856-409-0365.

Upon entering the performance space at South Camden Theater, I was amazed by how beautiful Scenic Designer Robert Bingaman’s set is. I have seen multiple productions at this theater, and Mr. Bingaman always builds sets that establish the tone of the play and enhance the story. His sets for Incorruptible and The Brother’s Size, both produced during season 17 (2022) were particularly impressive. The main set is a Japanese style garden. Throughout the play, the set quickly and efficiently becomes various other locations (a living room, a highway overpass, a hospital). The balance of colors is exquisite which is in no doubt thanks to Mr. Bingaman's assistants: Deborah Sperry, Jean Harden, Steve Segal, Jordan Feld, and Joe Wilmes and with the help of the Props Manager, Pam Staley. Sound Designer, Drew Mangione, used background sounds effectively throughout the performance to help create the ambience, such as: a ticking clock, a heart monitor, and birds chirping all helped to create ambience. 

Before the lights dimmed, there was soft jazz music playing and the stage lights were on, highlighting the beauty and serenity of the Japanese garden set thanks to Lighting Designer Hunter A. Mountz. For authenticity, the set included various plants, a rather large weeping willow tree, a simple bench, and an “ishidoro” - a short, free-standing stone lantern common in such gardens.

Under the masterful direction of Damien J. Wallace, this play is packed with emotion and beautiful performances. The decision to present the play without an intermission, which was bold and artistically brilliant. The cohesiveness of the play will be a major theme of this review, and the flow of the narrative would have been lessened by an intermission. I spoke to actor Craig McLaren (Tommy Z) after the performance who affirmed that the cast developed a strong unified rhythm throughout the rehearsal process. The result is a production that is beautifully seamless - almost like a single, uninterrupted scene, it was that smooth.

The play opens with two of the characters as narrators, who provide context about the story and characters. The script is like an onion, in that throughout the course of this theatrical journey, more and more is revealed about each of the four characters, who are all very different, yet share a common bond. The characters address the audience directly and tell us that this is “first and foremost a love story”. The development of the friendship bonds between the characters build throughout. Costume design, created by Louise Gareau, really emphasized the personalities of the characters perfectly. 

While this play is an ensemble piece, the main story focuses on the character of Grace Wheeler (Neena Boyle). Grace is "a travel writer who never travels" to the locations she writes about. She uses research, travel guides, and her imagination. Grace volunteers as a docent in the Japanese garden, giving tours to people, but we learn early on that she is awaiting the results of a biopsy. Ms. Boyle’s performance is masterful, as she deals with Grace's situation in a manner that is relatable and natural. During one particularly distressing scene, I found myself on the verge of tears. 

David Woo (Haruki Sakamoto) plays a “Japanese architect who can’t figure out how to build a simple tea house”. Mr. Woo comes to this production with an impressive resume. He plays a renowned architect who is hired to design a tea house in the middle of the garden. With an architect’s version of writer’s block, he frequently visits the garden with his sketch pad, but cannot generate any ideas. He rips paper out of his sketch pad, crumples it up, and then tosses it on the ground. Haruki Sakamoto is wise, a bit awkward, and quite reserved with a dry sense of humor. He is very reluctant to pursue a love interest, saying: “It is better to be alone than to have your heart ripped out”. This character’s personal pain was palpable. Mr. Woo’s performance was subdued and his long-term sadness really came through.

Craig McLaren (Tommy Z): “a gifted tattoo artist who resists the power of his talents” Mr. McClaren plays tattoo artist Tommy Z, a narrator as well as a number of walk-on parts, including a doctor. I have seen Mr. McLaren in previous productions, and I am impressed with his range as an actor. The scene where we learn why Tommy feels he can no longer do tattoo art is quite impactful. The character of Tommy Z is relatable to anyone who feels anguish that they were not able to do enough to help someone; and feel terrible guilt. 

Shannon Sullivan (Kat Lane): “a homeless girl who lives under a weeping willow tree in the Japanese Garden” is radiant as a young homeless woman who is squatting in the garden. Ms. Sullivan’s facial expressions speak volumes without saying a word. Her stage presence is magnificent, as her character radiates hope that her life will improve.

The four characters bond with each-other through their struggles. They are each other's support as they confront their individual traumas. The story is concise and the plot does not meander. Therefore, the performance was highly polished, the scene changes were done flawlessly with credit to Stage Manager Melody Moore. As is often said of stage managing: when it is done well, the audience shouldn’t notice it.

The highly experienced director, Damien J. Wallace’s guidance weaved a tapestry of anguish, pain, love, friendship, and healing. From the promotional material: “This is a beautiful, haunting and richly human play”. I heartily agree. This production had a “unity”, a “wholeness” that I am struggling to describe. I highly recommend seeing this emotional and very moving play.

Playwright E.M. Lewis said in an interview that the title of the play comes from the lyrics of a 1992 Leonard Cohen song called “Anthem”.

… Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in

How the Light Gets Through runs through Sunday, May 18th. Tickets can be purchased here:

https://www.southcamdentheatre.org/