The Space Between The Sheets – Lion & Unicorn Theatre, Kentish Town

Writer: Kelsey Ann Moebius
Director: Ewa Emini

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Spaces Within The Script“

2.5 / 5

When Aaron comes back to Robin’s flat after a drunken night out, the expectation of a hook up is definitely on the cards, but what entails instead are long, pressing conversations as they try to get to know each other during their first real conversation together.

Texan born Robin (Kelsey Ann Moebius) is a Dolly Parton loving, line-dancing, cowboy hat wearing stereotype – coming to the UK with the dreams of becoming an actor and leaving her small Texan town, with conservative expectation, far behind. She’s fed up with being the token American in the bar – only attracting male attention because they want to tick an American off their list, irritated at being pigeon-holed as just a novelty rather than the woman she is. Aaron (Cameron Emil Jarvis) sympathises somewhat with her sentiments, though his experiences are vastly different. As one of the only black students on his writing course, he is constantly pressured into being the voice of the community, encouraged to write specifically about his experience as a black male – rather than just being a young adult like everyone else on his course. Rather than their venting bringing them together, it instead pushes them apart – losing their common ground, along with their patience for each other as they decide to go their separate ways at the end of the evening.

This is a commendable attempt at navigating two students trying to break away from their ‘assigned roles’ in life, but ultimately, it never really gets off the starting blocks. The beginning scenes of Aaron and Robin are brilliantly funny – her embarrassed speed clean and nervous energy humorously depicting the awkwardness in a potential new relationship. Aaron on the other hand Is self-assured and experienced, dismissing much of Robin’s initial attempts to break into conversation, with the hopes of getting straight to the hook up part of the evening. While these scenes are great as an initial introduction to the pair, there is never any real progression from here on out – regardless of the small insights we get into each character.

Much of the script comes across as manufactured and artificial, with very little chemistry between the pair to redeem the emptiness in the writing. Aaron’s speech about his pressures at University is passionate and engaging – and the first glimmer of depth to the script, which is a very welcome addition, but it is frustratingly brushed past quite quickly, with Robin’s quick dismissiveness and urge to talk about herself and her struggles again instead, making her an incredibly infuriating and unlikeable character to try to become invested in. Aaron is better written, but too many snippets of both characters are given without anything of merit to add the complexities they desperately need.

Some interesting aspects, but the slow pacing and multiple dead end conversations frustratingly end up causing a lot spaces within the script that struggles to be filled.

Runs until 15^th March 2025