Using the breakdown of a marriage to explore preconceived ideas of romance and societal pressures to find a partner, one woman reflects on her former relationship. From the heady days of their first dates and early wedded bliss to when red flags become more frequent and power dynamics take over, she contrasts the fairy tale love stories from her youth with the slow-dawning reality of a coercive relationship, wrestling with self-blame and an inability to leave. There is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention explores the pressures that shape intimacy, particularly for women, balancing humour and heartbreak as the narrator moves from self-doubt to hard-won clarity. The production is supporting Women for Women International, a charity that helps women survivors of war and conflict rebuild their lives.
Henri Merriam said, “I have always loved stories, that’s why I became an actor. When I wrote this play, I was trying to make sense of a time in my life when I couldn’t control the narrative of what was happening around me. And I realised the stories I’d always loved about women, and the way we move through the world, hadn’t served us. They’d shaped an idea of what a marriage should be, and what I should be inside one, so I was constantly at odds with who I actually was.’’
Play Nicely Theatre was founded in 2019 by writer-performer Henri Merriam. Based in Cornwall, the company makes intimate, text-led new work, with a particular interest in character-driven storytelling and the relationship between performer and audience.
Henri Merriam is an actor and writer from Suffolk, who trained at LAMDA. Her theatre work includes Elephant, Hound of the Baskervilles, Heroine, Norah’s Ark, Splinter as well as touring work for Smooth Faced Gentlemen and the Seagull Rep. Screen and radio credits include Strike: Troubled Blood (BBC) and About a Dog (BBC Radio 4).
Director: Sophia Capasso is an actor and director working across theatre, film, and television. As a director, she has developed and staged new writing at Theatre503, The Other Palace, The Vaults, Ventnor Fringe, and The Seagull. Her work focuses on text-led, character-driven storytelling.
Producer: Marcello Pautasso is a London-based scripted development executive working across theatre, television, and film. He has produced work at the White Bear Theatre and developed projects for broadcasters and streamers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Running Time: 70 mins (no interval) | Suitable for ages 16+, themes of emotional abuse and coercive control. References to suicide and self-harm. Strong language.
