Centred around five friends living together during their second year at university, their world
begins to crumble when one of them is accused of rape.
With scenes of complete naturalism contrasted by scene changes of TikTok fantasy, the play
highlights the truths and complications of modern dating alongside the filter of how we
present our lives on social media. It tackles the conversation of consent in a way that’s
currently missing from our theatres and tv screens.
Sitting in the back makes you very aware that drama school graduates are used to being mic’d. Speaking at a volume that’s suitable for a TV rom com isn’t projecting and doesn’t work so well even when the theatre is relatively small, such as the Union Theatre. Couple that with the fact that very little happens in the first half of the show. It’s an hour of meaningless exposition which causes over-acting, dynamic bouncing around and too much energy in a desperate attempt to make it work.
What does work extremely well is the set, the lighting, the sound tracks and the video. The scene changes then become rather good and enjoyable. But too many long scene changes, especially in the second half when they’re sometimes replaced with blackouts, make for a very disjointed production.
The story’s “punch” comes in the final few minutes of the first half. This is the foundation story for the second half.
Coming back after the interval and it feels like a different show. The cast are confident, the story is engaging and several different perspectives are enabled by each of the cast. They do a great job and take on their roles solidly in the second half. There are lots of discussions “behind closed doors” which the audience become privy to and it all gets rather interesting. A sideline distraction of one student being kicked off her course via email is a distraction. This unbelievable scenario would be best cut.
With a lot of cuts in the script there is a powerful production here that has a vital message!
CAST:
JACOB – Paddy Lintin
MEGAN – Becky Bond
LUCY – Amaarah Roze
SAM – Sukey Willis
WILL – William Huke
Director – Elodie Foray
Light and Sound – Dylan Lowe
Projections – Ben Bull
AD and SM – Gemma Evans
Movement Director – Carina Howard
Intimacy Director – Emma Bailey
Content warning: Strong language and scenes of sexual violence