Writer: Robin Taylor
Director: Chris Neels
How are you? Three little words that we say every day to almost everyone we meet. Yet, the question never really scratches the surface of what is going on in someone’s life. We say it with the expectation that nobody will answer it honestly.
The “How Are You?” Game is a new comedy play by Robin Taylor (Two Pints of Lager And A Packet of Crisps, My Family). It toys with the classic game show format, but the stakes aren’t an exotic holiday or a bundle of cash. Andy (Taylor) is just trying to make it to tomorrow.
Andy teases at the social construct: “We all know the rules of this game.” And it’s true, we do. We know that when someone asks how we are, we are supposed to answer with a few stock phrases: ‘I’m fine’, ‘I’m good’, ‘I’m alright’ (for goodness’ sake, don’t tell the truth!). The “How Are You?” Game is a comment on the inane platitudes of polite interactions, and the potential harm they can cause without intending to. Even a kid’s birthday party can be a minefield in Taylor’s honest and hilarious new play.
Director Chris Neels has Andy slumped on his misshapen sofa, wearing a t-shirt-tux and slippers. The stage is set with a reveal board, spin wheel and a mystery box. For the most part, the play is set in Andy’s living room, but effective lighting moves us through different scenarios.
Andy meanders through his life as he struggles to leave his home, or more specifically, his sofa. Andy is our charming host, guiding us through well-known game shows: Crystal Maze, Family Fortunes, Blankety-Blank, Blind Date, Memory Bank, and Mastermind. He throws out game show phrases like ‘what’s your name and where do you come from?’ to obliging audience members. But underneath this façade, life is the real game that Andy is playing.
Taylor’s writing is satirical and witty, yet beneath it runs a current of hopelessness and desperation. Andy gamifies simple actions like leaving the house, socialising with friends, or having fun to get himself out of his rut. This comes to an apex in the quiz-like survey of a mental health self-assessment form. Throughout The “How Are You?” Game, the joviality of the game show is juxtaposed with Andy’s self-deprecating monologue of doom. Being able to cope doesn’t equate to happiness.
In the game of life, we are well versed in the performance of ‘being okay’. But when every social situation causes you to dissociate into an anxiety spiral, it is a challenge to get better. It is important to remember that life isn’t a competition of who has it better or worse.
Runs until 2 October 2026
