Matt Heath and Rachel Foster Photo by Drew Hostetler

British playwright David Hare is known for his politically engaged and socially conscious works and is an influential critic of institutions and social norms of his generation. He has worked extensively at Great Britain's National Theatre and is a well-known screenwriter with works such as The Reader and The Hours.

Skylight premiered in London in 1995 and subsequently on Broadway in 1996. It was nominated for many awards and won the Olivier Award for Play of the Year. The revival in 2015 with Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy was also very well received. Skylightt explores life, love and circumstances between an older man and a younger woman. It is a thought-provoking play about power, politics and passion.

The setting is Kyra's modest flat in West London. She arrives home and is visited by Edward Sergeant, a young man on his gap year. Kyra lived with his family a few years ago. He is nervous and confused and tells her his mother had died. They clearly have a history together, but the nature of the relationship is unclear.

Edward leaves and almost immediately, his father Tom, a wealthy restaurateur, arrives. Small talk fades and they begin to dissect their relationship and the time Kyra lived with Tom's family while she was having a six-year affair with him. The push-me-pull-you tale of love and loss has emotional intensity. David Hare blends comedy with sadness in this poignant play.

Matt Heath as Tom is flawed but sympathetic and completely believable. Tom's near total focus on himself and his "rightness" is the driving emotional core of his personality. Rachel Foster's Kyra is also flawed and somewhat sympathetic. She is, however, less believable. Both actors manage the complicated monologues well, but Kyra must cook an entire meal on stage and is terribly busy. This seems distracting. Perhaps Hare writes men better than women. Tom is obvious and transparent; Kyra is more complicated. Both actors deliver outstanding performances.

Aodán Luther-Salazar as Edward seems lost and directionless but fails to deliver his real loneliness. Edward's mother is dead; his father is not available. He has come to Kyra for solace. The connection between the adolescent and the young woman is very confusing in the opening scene. Later, when they come together, their connection is more apparent. Luther-Salazar had not yet relaxed into the role at the performance I attended.

Ryan Jason Cook has designed a perfectly shabby and workable apartment for the action of the play. The entrances and exits work well. Costumes by Rhonda Backinoff are appropriate for all the actors. Riley Lewis' lighting design is nuanced. Casey Mraz's sound design is particularly effective, especially the street noises. Nina Dorrance has provided props and set decor that enhance the production. In short, the technical aspects of the production are very well executed.

Skylight is a very dialogue and monologue dense play. Director McClure keeps the pace brisk and the action flowing. The comedy of the play could be highlighted more.

Skylight is a play with serious intentions, but we don't have to take it too seriously. This is a professional production that is definitely worth seeing.

Skylight, presented by West End Productions, runs through April 13, 2025, at North Fourth Theatre, 4904 4th Street, NW, Albuquerque NM. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets: General Admission $24 - Discounted $20. For tickets and information, please visit www.westendproductions.org or call 505-246-9426.

Directed by Colleen Neary McClure, Set Designer- Ryan Jason Cook, Costume Designer Rhonda Backinoff, Props and Set Dressing by Nina Dorrance, Lighting Designer - Riley Lewis, Sound Designer - Casey Mraz. Cast: Rachel Foster, Matt Heath, Aodán Luther-Salazar.