A superb one-man show, written and performed by RSC actor Mark Lockyer, on his experiences surviving and living with bipolar disorder.
★★★★ Lockyer has one hell of a story and he tells it rivetingly well – The Times
★★★★ Gripping … brutally funny – The Guardian
★★★★★ Heartfelt and moving … refreshing to see the topic nailed in such a truthful way – The Upcoming
The Story
Meet Mark. The thing is I’ve got myself into a bit of a mess…
Mark’s an actor. I keep forgetting my lines. I’ve left my girlfriend and I’m beginning to stink.
Mark was an actor. And to make matters worse I’ve met the Devil.
Hilarious, touching and utterly bonkers, Living with the Lights On is a gripping story of a life lived at the edge.
Living with the Lights On is a critically acclaimed play written and performed by Mark Lockyer. 30 years ago, Mark was a promising young actor getting juicy roles at the National and the RSC. Then, one summer in Stratford, his world fell apart.
During a performance of Romeo and Juliet, Mark – playing the mercurial Mercutio – had a breakdown.
This is a play about surviving and living with bipolar disorder. We go on a moving – and often absurdly hilarious – journey with Mark through relationship breakdown, encounters with the justice system and the mental health system. It’s a story filled with humour, tragedy – and a happy ending.