Disclosure: This preview is based on press information supplied by Play Nicely Theatre and Mobius Industries. Clarissa’s Corner has not reviewed the production.
Latest update
There Is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention comes to the Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar in London from 8–13 September 2026, completing a tour that has also visited Norwich, Buxton and Greater Manchester.
Written and performed by Henri Merriam and directed by Sophia Capasso, the 70-minute solo play uses the breakdown of a marriage to examine romantic expectations, coercive relationships, self-blame and the pressure placed on women to find and maintain a partner.
What is There Is a Light and a Whistle about?
In the beginning, there were stories about girls, women, men and love. When one woman meets the man she will marry, she thinks she already knows the script. But as early romance gives way to red flags and changing power dynamics, the stories she grew up with no longer serve her.
Looking back on the relationship, she contrasts fairy-tale ideas of love with the slow realisation that she is living inside a coercive dynamic. She wrestles with self-doubt, blame and the difficulty of leaving before trying to rewrite her part on her own terms.
The production balances humour and heartbreak rather than reducing its central woman to a lesson or a stereotype. It asks how cultural expectations shape intimacy and how someone begins to reclaim their story when the role they were given no longer fits.
Henri Merriam’s solo performance
Henri Merriam both wrote the play and performs its central role. She trained at LAMDA, with theatre credits including Elephant, Hound of the Baskervilles, Heroine, Norah’s Ark and Splinter. Her screen and radio work includes Strike: Troubled Blood and BBC Radio 4’s About a Dog.
Merriam founded Play Nicely Theatre in 2019. The Cornwall-based company creates intimate, text-led new work with a particular interest in character-driven storytelling and the relationship between performer and audience.
Creative team
- Writer and performer: Henri Merriam
- Director: Sophia Capasso
- Sound designer: Frazer Merrick
- Designer: Shahaf Beer
- Producer: Marcello Pautasso
- London technician: Emily Wilson
London dates, venue and tickets
- Dates: 8–13 September 2026
- Time: 7.30pm
- Running time: Approximately 70 minutes with no interval
- Venue: Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar
- Address: 109 St Paul’s Road, London N1 2NA
- Tickets: £16.50, including £1.50 membership
- Box office: 020 7354 8246
Check current availability through Unrestricted View and the Hen & Chickens Theatre. Ticket information can change, so confirm the performance details before travelling.
Age and content guidance
The production is recommended for ages 16 and over. It includes themes of emotional abuse and coercive control, references to suicide and self-harm, and strong language.
These subjects are central to the story rather than a passing detail, so audiences who may find them difficult should consider the guidance before booking.
Accessibility
No London access-performance dates were listed in the press information available at the time of checking. Contact the venue on 020 7354 8246 before booking to discuss step-free access, seating or any other requirements and confirm whether a suitable performance is available.
Supporting Women for Women International
The production is supporting Women for Women International, registered charity number 1115109. The charity works with women affected by war and conflict, helping them rebuild their lives and communities.
Why this new play stands out
The title refers to ways of calling for help, but the play appears interested in the quieter moments before somebody recognises that help is needed. The gap between the romance we are taught to expect and the reality of an unhealthy relationship gives the story a familiar but unsettling foundation.
I am especially interested in how the production uses a solo performer and a text-led approach to move between humour, memory and hard-won clarity. This is preview coverage rather than a review, but it sounds like a thoughtful piece of new writing with plenty to discuss afterwards.
More fringe theatre on Clarissa’s Corner
Explore more independent productions, small venues and emerging work in my London Fringe Theatre guide. You can also browse the wider Theatre & Culture hub.
Frequently asked questions
When is There Is a Light and a Whistle in London?
It runs at the Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar from 8–13 September 2026, with performances at 7.30pm.
Who wrote and performs the play?
Henri Merriam wrote the play and performs the solo role. Sophia Capasso directs.
How long is the performance?
The running time is approximately 70 minutes with no interval.
What is the age guidance?
The production is recommended for ages 16+ and contains emotional abuse, coercive control, references to suicide and self-harm, and strong language.
Featured photograph: Henri Merriam in There Is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention. Photograph by Scott Godding.
