The White Chip
WRITER: Sean Daniels
COMPANY: Danielle Tarento
DIRECTOR: Matt Ryan
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER: Lee Newby
SOUND DESIGNER: Max Pappenheim
VENUE: Southwark Playhouse, London
OPENING DATE: 11th July 2025
PHOTOGRAPHER: Danny Kaan
“Suitably queasy lighting by Jamie Platt alternates between hot amber and sickly green as Steven swings between phases of just about coping and blacked-out, week-long benders.”
Dave Fargnoli - The Stage - 15/07/2025
“Jamie Platt’s lighting throws us into the shadows of Steven’s mind only to repeatedly pull us into the glaring reality of his illness with the bright, cold lights of an AA meeting hall.”
Jonathan Evans - The Spy in the Stalls - 15/07/2025
“Lighting, by Jamie Platt, brings us from party to party (even if the party is only inside Steven’s head) and then to the brutal glaring artificial fluorescent lights of an AA meeting. That contrast feels clinical, almost surgical. No shadows. Nowhere to hide and it really pulls the audience closer to Steven’s exposed reality.”
Dave B - Everything Theatre - 12/07/2025
“Newby effectively combines the difficult memories contained in Steven’s monologue with the empty, imposing hall in which he is likely delivering it. Jamie Platt’s lighting adds to this effect, the moments where the chip is presented harshly, almost excessively lit to simulate not only the environment of these meetings, but how frighteningly seen the members must feel.”
Sam Waite - All That Dazzles - 12/07/2025
“It is a production heightened by its modest yet impactful design choices. Jamie Platt’s lighting encapsulates the two stages of Steven’s life well: the depths of addiction and then the attempts to get clean. The blends from the bold pinks, greens and yellows of Steven’s drunken antics are contrasted sharply with a brutal, sterile white while on rehab, signifying the cleansing that Steven needs multiple attempts at to make work. This is an interesting take, given that the drunken stupors look more fun than the harsh rehab environment, unflinching in the portrayal that getting clean is not a quick remedy.”
Dan English - The Reviews Hub - 12/07/2025
“The creative team behind this production have crafted a clear, thoughtful vision that supports every stage of Steven’s journey. Director Matt Ryan, along with Set and Costume Designer Lee Newby, Lighting Designer Jamie Platt, and Sound Designer Max Pappenheim, have transformed a small, minimalist space into something versatile and emotionally expressive. Each shift in lighting, sound and movement quietly signals a new phase in Steven’s life, giving the audience clear emotional cues without overwhelming the storytelling.”
Eleanor B - Theatre & Tonic - 12/07/2025
“Most notable is the use of coloured lighting with the sound of a heartbeat effectively brings us back to the singularity of Steven’s choices and consequences.“
Miriam Matthew - London Pub Theatres - 24/07/2025
“Directed with purpose and heart by Matt Ryan, and brought to life with Lee Newby’s simple yet evocative set, Jamie Platt’s clever lighting, and Max Pappenheim’s razor-sharp sound design”
Sarah S - London Born and Bred - 15/07/2025
“Lit by Jamie Platt there’s a riotously skilful use of small torches as lights – oncoming traffic being the most spectacular. Lighting generally sculpts the landscapes of this bare Borough Large studio.”
Simon Jenner - View from the Gods - 12/07/2025
“Excellent lighting and sound design jump rapidly from one scene to the next… The house lights blaze whenever Steven receives a white chip, adding a powerful sense of vulnerability and exposure both onstage and in the audience. Such care and attention to detail result in a polished and important-feeling show.”
Ben Breen - A Youngish Perspective - 13/07/2025
“Jamie Platt’s lighting design also helps underscore the transition from the cheerful denial of Steven’s early addiction to the stark realisation of what he is confronting.”
Julie Fisher - Adventures in Theatreland - 12/07/2025
“This space shape-shifts rapidly and effectively thanks to tight lighting and the agility of the cast. Scenes last only seconds; memories flicker like frames in a flipbook style. The result is an intoxicating blur that smartly mirrors the inner state of a man spiralling through years of substance misuse and emotional turmoil.”
Lauren Atkinson - Curtain Call Reviews - 12/07/2025
“Jamie Platt’s lighting and Max Pappenheim’s sound design mark Steven’s spirals brilliantly”
Claire Roderick - Fairy Powered Productions - 12/07/2025
“The contrast between the deceptive highs of having alcohol vs the perceived cold, harshness of the day- to- day are shown through the lighting.”
