A review by veecaswell
The Lamplighter by Jackie Kay

5.0

Jackie Kay's "The Lamplighter" takes us on a journey through the dark heart of slavery. It is both a radio and stage play and a multi-layered epic poem.

Reading this I came to the same conclusion as the author, we don't talk about this in British History enough. Told beautifully and poetically, this play is an emotional story told by four women who were held in slavery and what happened to them when they were held. Sold and used like they weren't even people, this play highlights the plight of many through the stories of a few.

The repetition, the harking back to moments in the story and the ending of this story stays with you long after you have read it. These women send a message through the story of the strength and the power these women have to do what they must do to survive and what they would do to make sure they live. The story of Anniwaa threads throughout the play and makes for a stunning conclusion, as we see her story unfold throughout.

British history in school for me was world war one, world war two, actually that's about it, but we never talk about our history of colonialism and how we became the superpower that aligned itself in Europe in the first place. This play for me would be a good place to begin when it comes that history.