Written by Charli for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own

You know the premise: Three friends, one rundown flat in the city, and a bunch of dreams that feel just out of reach. It's a rite of passage for young people in their twenties. What’s not to like?

Well, Night Light proves that the formula isn’t dead, and in fact, the team have managed to build upon these conventions with an Irish flair that gives this sitcom-style play an underrated edge.

We follow two school friends originally from Ireland, Robyn (Maeve O’Haire) and Rian (Jack McLaughlin), who live in a messy flat in London with their English writer flatmate, Randy (Tom Inman). The three of them are reluctant to grow up, with Robyn having recently quit her job to become a cheerleader, until Rian gets a reality check that puts everything into perspective.

The one-hour, three act fast-paced action can barely catch its breath, but in the best way. The characters are overflowing with energy and each one has their own melodramatic meltdowns, with particular highlights including Robyn lying on the sofa lip-syncing along to James Blunt’s ‘Goodbye My Lover’, and the gang picking up a Nurf gun to jokingly attack one another. It’s a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and yet creators O’Haire and Tom Chandler still have managed to paint an accurate picture of the experience of young people in London today.

The set design of the trio’s studio flat was a real triumph with the disarray of props (including a stunning pink sink lying sideways on the floor) adding to the messy incomplete nature of the characters as they try to find themselves in an expensive city. Chandler, who also directed the play, did a fantastic job of bringing the claustrophobic space to life. Despite the set never changing, the characters interacted with each section with intention giving the story even more momentum - it was almost like their playground - and visual interest.

O’Haire was incredibly compelling to watch as Robyn: full of energy and completely endearing as the character’s auditory dyslexia meant she kept misunderstanding the other characters’ words. McLaughlin’s Rian was charming in his lost boyish nature, and Inman just came into his own as the story unfolded with his snarky quips towards the others. Lydia Hopgood also featured as Rian’s girlfriend Laura, and she was fabulous at holding her own despite being the odd-one-out of the trio.

Overall, Night Light is a funny yet honest look at the lives of young people in their twenties. O’Haire shared in a speech at the end of the show that she would love the story to hit the screens one day, and I have to say, I would too. There are clearly so many layers to unpack with these characters, and I believe they deserve to have the opportunity to do so.

Night Light played at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in May 2026.

★★★★

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