Nestled in the heart of the Merchant City, in the intimate surroundings of SYT’s Edwin Morgan Studio, Half-Light Nights, a new Glasgow-based theatre company of, by and for young people, launched their inaugural production The Things We See dedicated “to all those who are that little bit lost”.

Written by director Catherine Rose Tausney and Andrea Cano Molina, the latter of whom performs one half of a quarrelsome couple (aspiring musician Carla) alongside Saul Davidson (marketing graduate Thomas), this 45-minute drama, which began life as a scratch night at the Citizens Theatre in 2017, is best summed up by Thomas’s teasing critique of his Spanish girlfriend’s stab at the Weegie vernacular: “It’s not bad. But it needs some work.”

Which is not to discredit the young company nor indeed the performers, both of whom are well-cast and deliver honest performances which capture the joy and heartache of falling in and out of love. It’s just that the peaks and troughs of the writing would benefit from greater emphasis. And the static staging like the repetitive structure, basically a long break-up scene interspersed with short flashbacks which chart the blossoming and wilting of their relationship, lacks variety and theatrical oomph.

The premise, though, is one that most people can relate to, regardless of age: What would you sacrifice for love? Your friends and family? Your hopes and dreams? Your career?

Opening with one of two self-penned ballads by Andrea Cano Molina on guitar – the despondent If All The Love Is Gone counteracted by the joyous Tingle Down My Spine – perhaps the future of the play lies in a throwaway comment on the company’s Facebook page: “Thinking about turning our first play into a musical – thoughts?”

However it develops (the title originating from Carla’s realisation, “Sometimes the things we want aren’t the things we see”), the motivation behind Half-Light Nights’ inaugural production “of not sitting around waiting for opportunities, but creating them oneself and making them happen” is commendable and can be supported via their GoFundMe campaign which to date is £345 shy of their grand goal.

Here’s hoping the company’s fate fairs better than that of the protagonists who in a cliffhanging finale are left on the cusp of kissing their dreams goodbye.

Peter Callaghan
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