• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Ed Fringe

EdFringe 2017 – Dates at the Speed of Sound at Summerhall

August 19, 2017 by Maggie Kelly Leave a Comment

Review of: Dates At The Speed Of Sound
Price:
£10-£12

Reviewed by: Maggie Kelly
Rating:
2
On August 19, 2017
Last modified:August 19, 2017

Summary:

Unimagnative piece about dating only worthwhile if the audience plays along in the speed-datng section

More Details

Set in Summerhall’s rather luscious café, Dates At The Speed of Sound joins a long line-up of shows experimenting outside of the traditional theatre format. Unlike most that I have seen this year, where style resoundly trumped substance 80% of the time, the interactive part of Dates was actually the most enjoyable section – providing a wonderful opportunity to talk to the myriad of waifs and strays that end up wandering around the Fringe. Conversely, the preceding theatrical part rolled in rather dull and uninspiring. Three performers rotate around playing couples (one waiter and two ‘singletons’ (blurgh)) discussing the problems and pitfalls of modern-day dating, presenting overblown characters that we are meant to find ‘funny’ while actually just becoming irritating. As topics go, the modern dating scene is hardly an original theme to dwell upon, and the way the subject was approached shed very little new light upon the phenomenon.

This is mainly because the script felt like it was just touching upon various different issues, acknowledging their presence and then never really going anywhere with anything. Healthy eating, fat-shaming and ‘looking different from your profile picture’ were all brought up, thrown around a bit and then just dropped before anything meaningful was come across. Everything was so utterly predictable; even as a slight technophobe with an intense abhorrence of online matches I could have probably told you the ‘issues’ these people would face way before walking into the room. This isn’t saying the actors are bad, they just struggle with a script that seems to be actively preventing them from expressing any opinion that hasn’t been expressed in countless ways before. 2015’s smash-hit Fleabag is a fantastic example of a show approaching the pressures of society in terms of sex, one’s ‘other half’ and generally the minefield that is being free and therefore ‘available’. Dates At The Speed of Sound had none of this subtlety, instead choosing to focus on stereotypes and characters that would better suit Cosmos’s ‘What Is Your Type’ quiz than anything remotely theatrically three-dimensional.

The day I was there pretty much the entire audience chose to stay for the post-show interactive experience, which utterly saved the show – I can only imagine the awkwardness should 90% choose to head off, leaving a couple of red-faced thesps committed to the ‘interactive’ part and mumbling about having to return to their respective partners once over. However (if I do say so myself) we were a highly merry bunch, and the relief of those acting and thereby organizing the speed-dating session was palpable. One suspects that the after-show sessions might not always have been this successful. Sadly, this wasn’t quite enough to leave the show feeling like anything substantial had been said – instead I left with a much higher opinion of my fellow Fringe-goers than the company itself.

Avatar

Author: Maggie Kelly

Filed Under: Review

Join the discussion Cancel reply

Hands Face & Empty Space / Sarah Chew on life drawing and Zoom

On the 17th March, it will be exactly one year since UK theatre came to an overnight standstill. Every day [Read More]

Hands Face & Empty Space / Emily Beecher on being a reluctant producer and unproducer

On the 17th March, it will be exactly one year since UK theatre came to an overnight standstill. Every day [Read More]

Hands Face & Empty Space / Alison Ford on maternity, redundancy and doing what’s right

On the 17th March, it will be exactly one year since UK theatre came to an overnight standstill. Every day [Read More]

Hands Face & Empty Space / Peter Moreton talks about growing the grass roots

On the 17th March, it will be exactly one year since UK theatre came to an overnight standstill. Every day [Read More]

NEWS / Concert opportunity for musical theatre performers

A series of three concerts featuring musical theatre and drama graduates will be streamed from London’s Cadogan Hall in March. [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • Alison Ford on maternity, redundancy and doing what's right
  • Sarah Chew on life drawing and Zoom
  • Emily Beecher on being a reluctant producer and unproducer
  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • Peter Moreton talks about growing the grass roots
  • Yasmin Paige on Actually
  • Actor's Corner: Keeping Curious with Jamie Baughan
  • The Life at Southwark Playhouse
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Avatar

    Maggie Kelly
    Author

  • August 19th, 2017
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • Facebook1TweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Blue Pie Media

    Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

    Email sent!