Inspired by writer Allison Davies’ own diagnosis of autism and sensitively directed by Chloe Stott, Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light explored the autistic experience through a female lens, and what a close-up we got of one woman’s journey of self-discovery in this quirky and very relatable human story. We got a rare insight into Elsa’s world through her inner as well as her outside voice and got to know all about that octopus in her head.

Headphones were offered to the audience to use during the production if they so wished: the access needs of neurodiverse audiences had been carefully considered with great attention to detail. An inspired and most practical idea.

Hannah Genesius was totally believable in her role as autistic Elsa, building up a rapport with the audience very quickly in the intimate setting of Theatre @41. She had a love for onions, mostly thanks to the happy times she spent with her granddad as he planted his onion sets—someone she felt safe and comfortable with. Alongside Hannah, Zoe Lambert and Yemisi Oyinloye played a multitude of parts to perfection, from indifferent therapists to teenage girls cruelly mocking Elsa’s clumsy attempts to fit in at school. When Elsa exploded and got into a bitter physical fight with Lauren, you felt her fury and frustration keenly.

At the same time, you felt Elsa’s mother’s exhaustion (played brilliantly by Zoe Lambert) as she dealt constantly with the consequences of her daughter’s behaviour; yet, loving her unconditionally, she never gave up on her. A real message of hope for anyone in the audience in the same situation.

When Elsa met Carmen, (portrayed sensitively and with great authenticity by Yemisi Oyinloye), her life began to change for the better, and she started to find out who she was, buoyed up by Carmen’s love and support.

There were times when Elsa’s behaviour was utterly exasperating, with the amazing set design (Verity Quinn), along with projection and lighting design (Simon Cole) and sound design (Roma Yagnik), reflecting Elsa’s inner and outer world, making for a poignant and powerful experience, as we saw things from her perspective.

For Elsa, there was indeed hope, and those minuscule shards of radiant light were able to radiate their brightness.

Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light - Production Photography at Alphabetti Theatre - 27th January 2023 Photo: ©Victoria Wai

Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light
Age Guidance : 12+ @41 Monkgate, York
On tour until March 6 2025