Writer: Sophie Craig
Director: Toby Clarke
Entering the auditorium, we find a man slumped over a piano, struggling to finish writing a song as we hear the backdrop of muffled music and distant fireworks. Protagonist Ava steps on stage with a sparkler, and before it fizzles out, she succinctly informs us that her father has been diagnosed with a terminal illness – yet here he is, out on Bonfire Night. What follows is Ava’s journey through anticipatory grief, the eventual loss of her father, and the complexities of falling in love while navigating such profound sorrow.
Sophie Craig’s script adopts a classic romcom framework, complete with a clichéd meet-cute and an emphasis on comedic beats. The play’s more serious moments, particularly those between Ava (Craig) and her father, are often rendered through physical theatre sequences. While this offers space for reflection on the process of bereavement, it occasionally disrupts the pacing and highlights the lack of depth of their relationship within the text.
The occasional asides to the audience, lack dramatic purpose, making the writing feel disjointed and giving the production a fringe-like quality. That said, Craig’s writing finds its stride in the second half, where the interplay between Ava’s relationships with her therapist and boyfriend Theo is dynamic and thought-provoking.
The performances and direction lean towards comedy, which at times undermines the narrative’s more serious undertones. Nevertheless, Ian Puleston-Davies delivers a standout performance as the father, bringing a delicate balance to the portrayal of his character’s illness. Toby Clarke’s direction becomes more nuanced in the latter half of the play, reaching a poignant climax when Ava finally finds peace with her father’s passing.
Pablo Fernandez Baz’s lighting design is adept, seamlessly shifting the tone of each scene to support both the drama and comedy, while creating a cohesive world for the characters. Jack Edmond’s score, though somewhat oversentimental, is effectively woven into the narrative, with the use of the piano highlighting the unfinished song Ava’s father is desperate to complete for her.
I Love You, Now What? is an entertaining and heartfelt exploration of love and loss. However, its reliance on romcom tropes diminishes the impact of what could have been a more original piece.
Runs until 24 August 2024
