This is a rough edit of how I would light the scene Message, if the final stage design was similar to the above, created by Morgan and Lia to resemble a high-end restaurant. The stage would be lit quite dimly with an orange-toned wash, to indicate light from candles on other tables, and the two actors would be mostly lit from a candle (or multiple candles) on their table. Candles in theatre can be quite tricky to get right, as they can be too dim or a hazard – using a real candle would be a last resort, not only due to the risk of naked flame or hot candle wax, but because the really annoying thing from candles on stage is that they blow out far too easily and then you either stop the scene to re-light it, or you don’t have the right lighting anymore. However, store-bought battery candles are often far too dim to create the effect that I’d want. A popular technique in props and costume, and one that I’d probably use here, is to place LED lights and a battery pack inside a translucent PVC pipe and decorate using hot glue to replicate the appearance of dripping wax. More than one would probably be placed on the table to make sure the actors are properly lit.