Cold Water – Park Theatre, London

Director and Writer: Philippa Lawford

Cold Water; a brilliantly constructed story from Tightrope Theatre about dreams and desires, offers a very strong first half to the (optional) double bill of new writing currently available at Park Theatre.

Awkward 22-year-old Emma (Julia Pilkington) returns to her old school as a teaching assistant, hoping it will be a better way to spend her post-university year than a miserable customer service job. Luckily, she is placed with drama teacher Matt (Jolyon Coy), who might just be able to help with her aspirations of applying to drama school.

Right off the bat, audiences suspect there is a certain direction this piece might go. Where writer/director Philippa Lawford finds great success is building a deeply endearing connection between Emma and Matt. With such high investment in the colleagues’ clear bond, the audiences find themselves on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting to know exactly how and when the inevitable roadblock in their professional relationship will play out.

Alongside the developing connection between the colleagues, Cold Water also offers a nuanced and touching exploration of how intimidating it can be to identify a path for yourself in your early twenties. This, not insignificantly, drives Emma’s desire to befriend the cool, calm and collected Matt, who seems so content with the life he has made for himself.

Without a significant budget, a black box theatre space can often feel difficult to transform design-wise. Yet Cold Water, solely taking place in a drama classroom, actually benefits from this minimal arrangement. With just a few instantly recognisable set pieces, such as a huge whiteboard and the cliché school wall displays, the intimate drama studio quickly transforms into a believable school rehearsal space.

Cold Water relies heavily on the chemistry of its performers and Pilkington and Coy are incredible together and individually. As Emma, Pilkington is adorably self-conscious and youthful energy spills from her in every scene. Opposite, Coy, as Matt, displays a confident, quietly charming exterior which is consistently likeable. Together, the pair milk every laugh from Lawford’s witty script, keeping the audience in stitches with genuinely laugh-out-loud moments of social awkwardness throughout. Underscoring this, however, is a delicate presentation of the well-worn ingénue/mentor trope that feels genuine and precious.

Cold Water puts its audience through a rigorous emotional workout and, regardless whether you’ve laughed your head off or cried your heart out, you will leave the theatre aching.

Runs until 1 June 2024