Playing Love — Review

Going to see a play in St Andrews is always a bit of a gamble. We place, in the hands of other people, a few hours and a solid chunk of the evening, during which we are often confronted with bouts of sleepiness, along with the many other shortcomings of student theatre — onstage mishaps, forgotten lines, and the like. Playing Love, written by Aidan Monks and directed by Maisie Michaelson-Friend and Annabel Van Grenen, was a production with no such issues.

The world of Playing Love is self-enclosed. It draws you in — and it is, above all, Monks’ writing that makes the play succeed. Set design was a treat to look at — books, playing cards, and other curiosities scattered everywhere. The excellently written dialogue meant that, if at any point you just shut your eyes and listened, the pacing and dynamics of dialogue coupled with the consistency of onstage performances would all carry you through and keep you entertained.

It is almost remarkable how a story about four seminarians constantly speaking in caricaturish accents does not get tiring at any point in the two hours. All characters deliver humorously self-aware aphorisms. Standout performances came from Tatiana Kneale as Celeste and Geordie Coles as Philip, who was funny, unfaltering, and full of energy. The character of Celeste was particularly telling in regards to the play’s strong writing — initially neurotic and highly-strung, she had the potential of being an absurd and one-dimensional character, but was instead given her own complexity and inner-life, which shone through in Kneale’s monologue in the scene ‘Off-Book (Celeste)’, undoubtedly a highlight of the show.

Emily Christaki was captivating as a breathless Matilda who flew across the stage, and Jonathan Stock gave a thoroughly charming performance as Jeffery. All characters were well-drawn out and possessed their own distinct personalities. Performance, character, and dialogue were the strongest aspects of the play. The plot, however, was somewhat let down by the play’s direction; as an audience member, it sometimes felt unclear what exactly the driving force of the play was, as though it had been lost in translation or not entirely realised onstage.

If there has been an issue with People You Know, it is that several of their plays (not all) are more show than substance. The graphics, visuals, and advertising for their productions are near impeccable, but upon closer examination, these external elements outshine the plays themselves. 

Yet Playing Love was different; it certainly succeeded at what it set out to do. It expertly managed satire, created a charming, all-encompassing world of its own bolstered by consistently impressive acting. The writing was admirable, as were the play’s performances, in what was one of the strongest, most enjoyable shows of the year. 

Photo by Hanna Sabu