A review by ole_quixote
The Lamplighter by Jackie Kay

3.0

This play packs a punch. Jackie Kay has created a powerful story that takes you inside the world of the Slave Trade in all of its uncomfortable detail. We see slaves getting captured, their horrific sea voyage, to the markets and finally to the sugar plantations in the West Indies., Kay has opted to tell her story orally rather than visually, which works very well when reading it. She allows the voices of the characters to tell you their stories in their own way which is very impactful as it forces the reader/viewer to create the harrowing images of the slave trade in your own mind. Jackie Kay is using her skills as a poet in full force here as she propels you through the story, effectively pulling you through some heart-wrenching and memorable moments. Her use of dialogue is precise and authentic and I believe everyone should read or see this play, particularly when considering the attention Racism and its history is getting today.