“Lighting by Will Alder relies heavily on… a rack of [lights] shining outwards from the back of the stage. Predominantly white or pink, they mirror Lizzie’s stunning dress… Particularly impactful are the points where Lizzie swings the hatchet, leaving her perfectly silhouetted before being plunged into darkness. It is a simple but highly effective example of how lighting can create genuine stand-out moments of theatrical creativity.”

— All That Dazzles on Bury the Hatchet

at Southwark Playhouse - 2026

“Will Alder's gorgeous lighting is used brilliantly throughout. Starting with hot pink, various different hues are incorporated to stunning effect, producing visually striking images, while the use of bright backlights creates some beautifully eerie shots that are swiftly cut to blackouts before allowing the light to creep back in once more.”

— Songs Behind the Music on Bury the Hatchet

at Southwark Playhouse - 2026

“The lighting caught my eye from the very beginning, but it only got better and better as the story progressed. The show beautifully weaves in folk music to aid with the storytelling, which is an element of the show I really enjoyed. From sudden blackouts to a beautiful mix of reds, blues, pinks and yellows, the lighting complemented both the story and the music well, creating a really immersive feel for the audience. There’s no denying that this production is incredibly visually and vocally enjoyable to watch. It is lit beautifully by lighting designer Will Alder”

— Theatreland Adventures on Bury the Hatchet

at Southwark Playhouse - 2026

“Will Alder’s lighting beautifully contributes to the storytelling: A diminishing box of light late in the play very much suggests a curtain coming down on Boris and his reign - no spoiler considering the title”

— Theater Mania on The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

at 59E59 Theaters, Off Broadway, New York City - 2020, 2023 & 2024

“The jarring emotional shifts are expertly articulated by the lighting (Will Alder). Soft pink and blue bathes the dance floor; a white glare catches the couple like rabbits in headlights when they are under the medics’ spotlight; the jagged flickering of the standard lamp and the draining domestic glow embodies the piercing fragmentation and poignant waning of Arthur’s inner life”

— British Theatre Guide on In Other Words

at Arcola Theatre & UK Tour 2017, 2019, 2023 & 2025

“Cory Shipp’s design is effective and inventive, multi-levelled and with a smack of genius, all enhanced by Will Alder’s wonderful lighting design. On a technical level, this is a work that sings.”

— Oxford Daily Info on Hansel & Grettel

at The North Wall Arts Centre, December 2024

“Will Alder’s lighting design is excellent, signalling shifts with precision and clarity but no fuss - just like the production itself”

— Always Time for Theatre on In Other Words UK Tour and Various - 2017, 2019, 2021 & 2023

“Will Alder’s lighting charts the party’s shifting mood, slipping casually between louche lilac and purple washes, before abruptly terminating in stark, suitably noirish chiaroscuro”

— The Stage on The Wild Party - 2017

“Praise must also go to Will Alder for his lighting. In such a small venue there is limited scope, but what he does is so effective. The white washed walls of the stage allow for the scene to be changed very cleverly: the soft lighting of home turns suddenly to the bright harshness of Iraq deserts, then into the tranquility of the therapist’s space. So good it’s easy to forget how much thought has probably gone into it”

— Everything Theatre on Gold Coast at Theatre503 - 2018

“There’s stellar work too from lighting and sound designers Will Alder and Nick Clinch, who perfectly keep pace with Sam’s mood in all its ups and downs”

— The Blog of Theatre Things on Sam. The Good Person at Bunker Theatre - 2019

“Will Alder’s lighting is neatly pointed”

— Fringe Review on The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

at Arcola Theatre - 2020, 2023 & 2024

“Will Alder’s lighting has an uncompromising harshness to it which leaves nowhere to escape, so too the inescapable sounds from Iida Aino”

— Ought to be Clowns on Medicine - 2018

“The sharp lighting (Will Alder) and lingering smoke combined with the natural atmosphere of The Vaults help create a primal, telling-stories-around-a-campfire vibe, with the actresses embodying male authority and innocents alike”

— Broadway World on Call Me Fury - 2019

“The set is bare, other than an old park bench, but the subtle and insistent sound design (terrific work from Iida Aino) and the perfect, nuanced lighting (credit here to Will Alder) work in tandem to provide the ideal, understated backdrop for Ms Tyler’s three-hander”

— The Spy the Stalls on Medicine - 2018

“Will Alder’s lighting masterfully frames the show, making for some striking visuals: from the bright lights and giddy excitement at the start of the party, by the end we are in near pitch black, the characters literally shadows of their earlier selves”

— Broadway World on The Wild Party - 2017