30 plays in 60 minutes. Or maybe 90 (there was some supernatural manipulation of time). Only the Bluelight Theatre Company could take on a feat like this and excel to such magnificent heights. Bluelight is CSUSM’s theatre club and they recently performed Greg Allen’s play “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” which was originally performed by an experimental theatre group called the Neo-Futurists. Their philosophy was to be candid with their audience, letting the stage be a continuation of real life rather than an escape. This play also holds the record as the longest-running show in the history of theater in Chicago. 

In Bluelight’s version of the iconic Neo-Futuristic play, each cast member showed a deep love for theatre in their enthusiastic dedication to “the bit,” or the great simple joy of being in on a joke. Bluelight’s version allowed audience members to shout out a number that would decide the next mini-play they performed (there are many variations of this play, it gets confusing).

I attended Bluelight’s last show of “Too Much Light,” as some theatre people call it, on Saturday, March 15. The play started with the entire cast plus one audience member screaming and running around playing tag. Although the play was chosen by chance (the audience’s whim), the first play energized both actors and audience, setting us up for a night of pure, unadulterated, much-needed fun (especially after midterms, can I get an amen). 

Payne, who played Payne in the play (because every actor played themselves), also directed the play and will appear as Doug in CSUSM’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries”. Em will also appear in the aforementioned play as Kayleen which, I hear, will be a night to remember. 

The creativity of the cast plucked all the right strings in “Too Much Light,” as audience members roared with enthusiasm as Bluelight subverted expectations, played with our emotions, and wondered what we had not wondered before. One mini-play sang the praises of the hand—performed by Te Shawn Bush, another mini-play asked the question: ‘What is the most ridiculous way we could drink a cup of water?’ and answered it in a variety of ways, one of which included screaming and scrambling to the water cup or getting someone to drink it for you and pour it in your mouth. The latter was strange to watch and just as strange to type out and yet, it was still not the weirdest portion of the show. This honor went undoubtedly to the random murders which were hilarious as they were sudden because the cast would simply get up again after they had been murdered. 

By far, my favorite mini-play from “Too Much Light” was the talk show where Bush facilitated an analytic discussion of Soulja Boy’s hit song “Crank That”. 

Never change Bluelight. Thanks for another great night. 

The full cast (all of whom played themselves): 

Payne Fraser (and Director) 

Em Schweim (and President of the Bluelight Theatre Club)

Natalie Hinton

Te Shawn Bush

Alyce Goudy

Jewel Jones

Morgan Harris 

Anthony Varon