Reviewer: Christine Stanton
Writer & Director: Sarah Cameron-West
“Funny & Endearing“
3.5 / 5
The last thing you’d expect while slurping on a Calippo, at Alton Towers, on your birthday, is that your boyfriend would dump you and shatter your four year-long relationship into pieces. Especially not when you got your nails done, expecting a proposal off the back of some rollercoaster adrenaline.
Our protagonist, played by writer/director Sarah Cameron-West is heartbroken, baffled by his revelation that he doesn’t really believe in the sanctity of marriage and certain it has everything to do with her office nemesis Karen who he’s been having an affair with for the last few months. Well, jokes on her, because she’s been stealing Karen’s yoghurt from the fridge each day as revenge – and she doesn’t even like it. Painfully polite she is the epitome of a people pleaser – begrudgingly accepting the affair, as well as the potential of a missed promotion at work due to her inability to be direct and take risks. She forces herself back into the dating realm – a series of unenjoyable dates with no potential of any new romance, all while desperately hoping Joe will come to his senses and take her back.
Cameron-West is a wonderful performer who confidently holds the attention of the audience for the 60-minute runtime. Her character and interactions are humorously believable, with the audience flipping between sympathising for the unfortunate situation she’s landed in, to laughing at her awkward acceptance through her well-written personality. The character is constantly in conversation with various other people – her critical boss, her best friend Stacey and of course the aforementioned Joe and Karen. Each of her conversations are only portrayed with her reactions rather than providing lines or voiceovers for the others, which works well to progress the storyline along and is supported with Cameron-West’s easy comedic timing. Her entertaining internal fits of rage, outlined with screaming rock music and dark red lights are fantastically executed, and so perfectly aligned with her desperate to please outward persona.
There are some points in the show where the pacing could be worked on to remove some of the emptier moments within the scenes, but these are fleeting gaps in an overall well-produced show. It works best when Cameron-West is instantly reacting – whether it’s with carefully considered professionalism or through her abrupt internal monologue, her dialogue is funny, endearing and relatable, so the more of it that could be crammed in to the short runtime the better!
Runs Until 24 March 2024
Photo Credit: Dylan Woodley
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