“I know a liar in the light, and I know one in the dark.”
In the world of Peter Shaffer’s masterpiece Black Comedy, what you can’t see is exactly what makes it hilarious. The premise is a stroke of theatrical genius: a sudden power cut plunges a London flat into total darkness for the characters, while the audience is left watching everything in brilliant, illuminated clarity.
 |
| Leah Haile in Black Comedy. Photo by Sam Taylor. |
At the centre of this spiralling chaos is young sculptor Brindsley Miller. Desperate to impress an influential art collector, he has borrowed his neighbour's fancy furniture without permission. When the lights go out, Brindsley thinks his deception is safe in the dark. He couldn't be more wrong. As friends, rivals, lovers, and unexpected guests stumble into the apartment, his desperate attempts to keep up appearances turn into a masterclass in physical comedy and frantic damage control.
Written by the Academy Award-winning mind behind Amadeus and Equus, this revival at The Orange Tree Theatre is directed by Caroline Steinbeis, who reunites comedy legends Javier Marzan and John Nicholson for a shimmering, high-energy production.
Ahead of the madness, we sat down with Leah Haile, who stars as Carol Melkett, to talk about the unique challenges of acting like you're in the dark, bringing Shaffer's sharp wit to life, and what it’s like inside the middle of a theatrical hurricane.
What can you tell me about Black Comedy and your role as Carol Melkett?
Black Comedy is a brilliant farce that takes place over the course of one evening. All the characters find their way into Brindsley’s apartment, in the middle of a black out and things slowly descend into chaos!
Black Comedy is a brilliant farce that takes place over the course of one evening. All the characters find their way into Brindsley’s apartment, in the middle of a black out and things slowly descend into chaos!
Carol has recently become engaged to Brindsley after a whirlwind few months and tonight is the night she is hoping her fiancée will make his fortune, as an artist, with her father there to watch.
What drew you to this part?
Carol is completely sure of herself and what she brings to the table. She has big dreams, no qualms about going after what she wants and her ability to think quickly and problem solve with Brindsley (even if their solutions are ridiculous!) is very funny. She is a totally commanding force at the start of the play before her control of the evening slips away… Which is so much fun to play!
Carol is completely sure of herself and what she brings to the table. She has big dreams, no qualms about going after what she wants and her ability to think quickly and problem solve with Brindsley (even if their solutions are ridiculous!) is very funny. She is a totally commanding force at the start of the play before her control of the evening slips away… Which is so much fun to play!
Black Comedy is famous for its "reversed" lighting—the characters are in pitch darkness while the audience sees everything in bright light. How have you and the cast prepared to not see things that are clearly visible to you?
Joe Bannister (Brindsley) and I are quite lucky in that way, as the first few minutes of the play are exactly that: in pitch darkness! So, we have some muscle memory of what that experience feels like every night, before the situation is reversed and the lights come on.
Joe Bannister (Brindsley) and I are quite lucky in that way, as the first few minutes of the play are exactly that: in pitch darkness! So, we have some muscle memory of what that experience feels like every night, before the situation is reversed and the lights come on.
In the rehearsal room though, we played around a lot as a company and with John Nicholson, our Physical Comedy Consultant, workshopping different ideas. We also came back from a tea break one day, to find that our director, Caroline Steinbeis had laid out a sensory style obstacle course for us to go through whilst blindfolded! That was an experience. It really is so true that your other senses really come to life and sharpen so much when you can’t use your sight. If anyone walked past our rehearsal room, I’m sure they would have been very confused what we were making…
Carol Melkett is often caught between her father’s rigid expectations and Brindsley’s chaotic ambitions. How do you view her role in this "deception"—is she a willing accomplice or another victim of Brindsley’s panic?
I think she is absolutely a willing accomplice! She is fully on board with Brindsley’s ambitions - I’m sure she has been very much encouraging them - and is determined to help him see them through tonight.
I think she is absolutely a willing accomplice! She is fully on board with Brindsley’s ambitions - I’m sure she has been very much encouraging them - and is determined to help him see them through tonight.
 |
| Leah Haile (Carol Melkett), Jason Barnett (Colonel Melkett) and Julia Hills (Miss Furnival). Photo by Sam Taylor. |
For Carol, this night is about securing a future. How do you maintain the high-octane energy required for a farce while keeping the character grounded and relatable?
To me, that’s exactly it - securing a future. I think having such a specific goal is naturally grounding. That’s her ultimate objective and she is determined to achieve it, by any means necessary! Even that means deceiving her own father. I also think her confidence in hosting helps her navigate the evening, she knows this is where she excels. It means all of the chaos is completely justified in her pursuit for money, marriage, the big house and all the rest.
To me, that’s exactly it - securing a future. I think having such a specific goal is naturally grounding. That’s her ultimate objective and she is determined to achieve it, by any means necessary! Even that means deceiving her own father. I also think her confidence in hosting helps her navigate the evening, she knows this is where she excels. It means all of the chaos is completely justified in her pursuit for money, marriage, the big house and all the rest.
Your character’s relationship with her father (Colonel Melkett) adds a layer of military precision to the chaos. How have you worked with your fellow cast members to build that specific family tension?
Jason Barnett, who plays Colonel Melkett is completely brilliant and I’m loving working with him. It’s very hard to keep a straight face at times. We spoke about the world that the Colonel and Carol have come from, including sharing music inspirations with each other. Despite the rigid military background, I do think Carol has her father wrapped around her little finger so watching Jason as the Colonel go between those two states is very funny.
Jason Barnett, who plays Colonel Melkett is completely brilliant and I’m loving working with him. It’s very hard to keep a straight face at times. We spoke about the world that the Colonel and Carol have come from, including sharing music inspirations with each other. Despite the rigid military background, I do think Carol has her father wrapped around her little finger so watching Jason as the Colonel go between those two states is very funny.
You’ve recently moved from the heavy, psychological intensity of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to the frantic farce of Black Comedy. What are the biggest differences in how you prepare for a "comedy of manners" versus a "domestic drama"?
Both plays are masterful and have been amazing to work on. The focus on the text and making sure the storytelling was clear was integral for both, but there was definitely a lot of silliness in the Black Comedy rehearsal room, trying out different things and making a fool of ourselves.
Both plays are masterful and have been amazing to work on. The focus on the text and making sure the storytelling was clear was integral for both, but there was definitely a lot of silliness in the Black Comedy rehearsal room, trying out different things and making a fool of ourselves.
Having said that, although both plays are extremely different there are some similarities with the characters I played. Both women living in the 60s, trying to navigate their way through the world and curate their life in the best way they can with the cards they’ve been dealt.
The Orange Tree Theatre is known for its intimate, in-the-round setting. How does that proximity to the audience change the way you perform this play?
Oh, it’s amazing! I love how intimate a space The Orange Tree is. The audience are so involved and can become part of the action in a really fun way. It feels like the perfect space for this play, I hope Peter Shaffer would have agreed!
Oh, it’s amazing! I love how intimate a space The Orange Tree is. The audience are so involved and can become part of the action in a really fun way. It feels like the perfect space for this play, I hope Peter Shaffer would have agreed!
If you could describe Carol Melkett’s experience during this power cut in just one word, what would it be?
Opportunity.
Opportunity.
The play is about Brindsley’s desperate hunt for success. As an actor with a flourishing career, what does that theme of making it mean to you personally?
Caroline Steinbeis, our director, made the point that every character in this play appears as one thing but then the play reveals them to be something else. I think if this night teaches Brindsley/us anything it’s that trying to become someone you are not will ultimately never work, as tempting as it can be at times. The people who inspire me most creatively are entirely and uncompromisingly themselves as people, but the most open and curious versions of themselves as actors.
Caroline Steinbeis, our director, made the point that every character in this play appears as one thing but then the play reveals them to be something else. I think if this night teaches Brindsley/us anything it’s that trying to become someone you are not will ultimately never work, as tempting as it can be at times. The people who inspire me most creatively are entirely and uncompromisingly themselves as people, but the most open and curious versions of themselves as actors.
Why do you think Black Comedy still resonates with audiences in 2026?
There is something about a perfectly cultivated evening with super high stakes, where everything goes wrong, that I think will always be funny.
Also, 1965 in London was such a bold, vibrant and incredible time of change. There is so much bubbling under the surface of this play, politically and socially, it feels a perfect time for this play to be staged again.
This play is essentially a high-stakes ballet of errors. How does playing Carol Melkett differ physically from your previous roles, like those at the RSC in Pericles and The Winter's Tale or Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?
I feel very lucky to have played such differing roles and they have all been physical in different ways.
The fact that Black Comedy has no interval and I’m on stage for the duration of the play is a new experience for me - no chance for a little water break! Climbing up very steep stairs whilst wearing heels also took a bit of getting used to but I think I’ve got the hang of it now… I hope!
I feel very lucky to have played such differing roles and they have all been physical in different ways.
The fact that Black Comedy has no interval and I’m on stage for the duration of the play is a new experience for me - no chance for a little water break! Climbing up very steep stairs whilst wearing heels also took a bit of getting used to but I think I’ve got the hang of it now… I hope!
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a performance?
Plenty of water, a good stretch and vocal warm up and then a spritz of character perfume. I normally have a curated playlist that works for the play too, in this case - lots of amazing music from the 60s.
Plenty of water, a good stretch and vocal warm up and then a spritz of character perfume. I normally have a curated playlist that works for the play too, in this case - lots of amazing music from the 60s.
What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
I have my mum to thank for that. I remember she took me up to Stratford-upon-Avon to see a production of Twelfth Night at the RSC as I was studying it for my A Levels - that was a special experience. Also, she trained as a ballet dancer so taking a family trip into London to watch a ballet at the Royal Opera House, as a teenager, was a real treat and something I still absolutely love.
I have my mum to thank for that. I remember she took me up to Stratford-upon-Avon to see a production of Twelfth Night at the RSC as I was studying it for my A Levels - that was a special experience. Also, she trained as a ballet dancer so taking a family trip into London to watch a ballet at the Royal Opera House, as a teenager, was a real treat and something I still absolutely love.
What motivates you to keep on performing in shows like Black Comedy?
I feel so grateful to be working with such a wonderful and talented cast so getting to play with them every night is a joy! I’m also so looking forward to seeing how audience responses differ every night and getting to involve them more and more with the story.
I feel so grateful to be working with such a wonderful and talented cast so getting to play with them every night is a joy! I’m also so looking forward to seeing how audience responses differ every night and getting to involve them more and more with the story.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing Black Comedy?
I hope they can ride the wave of chaos, have a great laugh and leave the theatre feeling a bit lighter.
I hope they can ride the wave of chaos, have a great laugh and leave the theatre feeling a bit lighter.
Black Comedy runs at The Orange Tree Theatre in London until Saturday 11th July 2026. For tickets and more information visit https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/
 |
| The company of Black Comedy. Photo by Sam Taylor. |
Post a Comment