Light is a technically absorbing piece of theatre. In a performing space draped in black the audience sit in total darkness transfixed by a fast paced light show. Torches and ‘light sabres’ click on and off at speed or gracefully twirl in the hands of near-invisible performers. Red and green LEDS seemingly fly through the air to simulate thoughts being passed from human brain to human brain. This intense and detailed choreography is performed with split second precision by a talented 5-strong cast to an intricate sound track devised by Chris Bartholomew.

Conceived as a response to Snowden’s revelations about the extent to which our personal data is collected and mined in the name of ensuring safety and recent literature on the dark arts of US and UK state security services, Light attempts to explore what it means for individuals caught up in developing technologies which get hijacked by regimes. Dazzling though the technical skill is, the story-telling does not prove up to the task and rather than the script driving this hour-long piece it takes a back seat to the wizardry. Characters are not developed and the comic book style, which starts out being charming, just gets boring.

At the start of the show we respond with a nervous giggle when we are told not to worry about our safety as we are being watched all the time. A clever joke on the justification given for the electronic surveillance we are all subject to. Sadly the rest of the script did not deliver on the subtlety promised in this front of house announcement. It is a crude attempt at delivering a dystopian world which has been much explored previously in art forms as diverse as Orwell’s 1984, The Matrix and the graphic novel (and film) V for Vendetta. Sadly, this piece of theatre adds nothing to the mix.

An interesting night out for those who love the skill and artistry of modern mime; you will be dazzled by the technical skills on show, but left in the dark by the story.