The loneliness of being a lighthouse keeper, even if you have a partner, would drive a person mad. The sixty minute meditation on two such men enlivens while it depresses, warms whilst it cools. The two keepers in question have only recently started their job, and are seen performing seemingly menial and repetitive tasks that help keep others alive such as cleaning the lenses. Eventually one dies, and his partner just simply cant let him go, so an odd Weekend at Bernies scenario is devised for the last third of the piece. The physicality of the two performers is quite effective, but what really makes the show worthwhile is the presence of a live musician and digital foley artist to the side of the stage. Without the constant incorporation of sound into the piece, it would bore and feel monotonous. But, with the inclusion of everything from subtle sonic tappings to barrages of digital noise, the complex gestures that the main actors perform have so much more power and meaning. The three artists on stage function as a remarkably cohesive ensemble that can turn on a penny from bright clowning to a deep poignancy, all the while reminding us what its like to be alone.
