Writer: James Pickthall
Director: Yusuf Niazi
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Standalone Trio“
3 / 5
~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~
Love and romance aren’t always smooth sailing, and when relationships fall apart, people react in very different ways, as shown in this trio of standalone (un)romantic comedies.
Tunnel features Jacob Freda as Mark, who has spent the last few years trying (and mostly, failing) to get over his ex-girlfriend Holly. His desire to have children was thwarted by her claims he was both obsessed with and yet also afraid of parenthood, ultimately, leading to the split. With no matches on Hinge, he turns to the next best thing – taking his anger out on a massive rock in the forest and unexpectedly building a train tunnel that nobody else even knows about. It’s a niche premise, well performed by Freda, whose enthusiasm and excitement over the tunnel, along with his glimmers of sadness over the breakdown of his relationship are believable and endearing.
Let This Be the Day is the most abstract of the three narratives. Ally (Heather Campbell-Ferguson) is an alien, sent from her home planet to investigate the human race. While her mission started well, she quickly forms a connection with one of her subjects, falling in love and breaking all the rules of her assignment in the process. Knowing her final day on earth is New Year’s Eve, how can she break it to him that she won’t be around anymore? And will she even remember him (and the heartbreak of leaving him) when she returns home? Campbell-Ferguson is charismatic and comedic, with the creative storyline well-executed. The flippant references to how aliens are portrayed in films are very funny, and though you never see her love interest, a clear and descriptive picture is painted quickly of his character and mannerisms, through Ally’s recounting of their interactions, which helps to strengthen audience interest in their bond.
Safety Zone is the closing story, featuring both Freda (Everett) and Campbell-Ferguson (Grace) as the only two-hander of the three. A struggling couple are off on holiday but end up rowing so intensely that they get put in a cell to help them resolve their differences. A government official oversees the conversation, and only when they have solved the problem, are they allowed to be released. While the premise is interesting, it is initially quite vague and confusing, which massively detracts from the performance and only gets clearer midway through. Inside the cell, rather than conflict resolution, the pair instead reveal the various secrets they’ve kept from each other over the years. The characters aren’t as well defined as the previous two stories and much of the story feels quite rushed and patched together in comparison.
Running at 20 minutes each, the transitions between each story are quite abrupt and not always at an expected endpoint, which causes some minor confusion for the audience. Moving into the third story especially, it is initially unclear whether the second has finished due to Campbell-Ferguson remaining on stage, so it would be better to fully wrap up each narrative to allow better segregation between the three.
Although each story is separate from the others, they do work well as a combination, with the sentiments behind relationships and break-ups relatable and enjoyable from the two likeable performers.
Runs until 19 April 2025
RatedReviewed 
Good Review
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