
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England
There is a Light and a Whistle
for Attracting Attention
By Henri Merriam
“You’ve never seen Grease? Are you kidding? Ok. So there’s this guy and this girl…”
In the beginning, there were stories. Stories of girls and women and men and Love. So when she meets him, she knows the script, and she’s ready. But things are starting to go wrong, and the stories she’s been told don’t serve her anymore.
She doesn’t fit the role. She needs to rewrite her part. So she can be seen.
Be brave. Take a breath.
There Is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention is an intimate solo play by Henri Merriam, exploring emotional manipulation, self-doubt, and the quiet ways power operates within relationships.
Following a critically acclaimed 2025 tour, the production is returning for a second run in 2026.
The play is brought to you by award-nominated Play Nicely Theatre (Splinter, The Mechanicals Present…), written and performed by Henri Merriam, directed by Sophia Capasso, originally co-produced in 2025 by Mark Finbow, and produced for the 2026 run by Marcello Pautasso.

The production is supporting Women for Women International (Registered Charity No. 1115109), a charity that helps women survivors of war and conflict rebuild their lives. To learn more about Women for Women International, visit: womenforwomen.org.uk | @womenforwomenuk
2026 TOUR DATES | 17th JULY – 13th SEPTEMBER
17 July
The Garage in Norwich
The Garage 14 Chapel Field North Norwich Norfolk NR2 1NY
8pm | £15 (£12.50 concs)
www.thegarage.org.uk | 01603 283382
20 - 21 July
Underground at the Working Men’s Club (part of Buxton Fringe)
15 Lightwood Road, Buxton, SK17 7BJ
20 July 5.15pm | £12 (£10 concs)
21 July 3.45pm | £12 (£10 concs)
www.buxtonfringe.org.uk | 020 8144 0070
27 - 30 July
The Squad House at Greater Manchester Fringe
Unit D2A, 3rd Floor, Pear Mill, Stockport Road West, Lower Bredbury, Greater Manchester
7.30 pm | £10 (£8 concs)
www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk | 07436770047
8 - 13 September
The Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar in London
109 St Paul’s Road, London, N1 2NA
7.30 pm | £16.50 (inc £1.50 membership)
www.unrestrictedview.co.uk | 020 7354 8246
Theatre and Art Reviews
*****
Merriam’s performance is faultless, using the stage space creatively. Prepare to go on an emotional roller-coaster.
Voice Mag
The script is poetic and gorgeous. There is an almost lyrical quality to it, with the play shifting deftly between reality and metaphor. Humour and heartbreak are balanced well with many moments of quiet devastation and sharp comedy.
Broadway Baby
*****
Every aspect of this prescient production is admirable – nothing less than a triumph. The staging is subtle, adept and clever, enabling the narrative to evolve and flow. The writing focuses on an issue for our times and the director, Sophia Capasso, displays a certain yet light touch.




Team
Meet the Team for There is a Light and a Whistle for Attracting Attention.
We're delighted to have this crack team. We can't wait for you to see their work.

Photography: Luke Witcomb
There is a light Rehearsal Room
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