The plot of One Night Stand is, unsurprisingly, the repercussions of a drunken work night out for two colleagues who wake up in the same bed. Still wearing the clothes from the night before, Alice and Brian debate the circumstances they find themselves in and the potential outcomes of their relationship. Alice is the over-emotional bunny-boiler who believed this was the start to something beautiful, whilst Brian is desperate to get her out of his bed and forget the whole affair. His seemingly extreme anxiety becomes clear as other characters appear, adding to the stickiness of the situation.
What begins as a potentially amateurish production - the opening scene somewhat overdoes the clichés - soon becomes a brilliantly quick-witted comedy. The twists and turns of the plot wind up in a cleverly organised resolution, with plenty of punch-lines along the way. The only disappointment was the treatment of Alice, the stereotypically over-emotional female, who was unfairly used as a scapegoat to tie the ends neatly together. With such an endearing character, it seemed a bit lazy to place all the responsibility on her shoulders in order to reach a conclusion, even if she was a bit of a ‘psycho’.
Although some of the acting felt a little melodramatic,the overall performance was enjoyable, with well developed characters and skilfully delivered punch-lines. Despite the farcical elements, the convincing relationships between characters allowed the scenario to resonate with the audience, who will definitely avoid dipping their pen in the company ink in the future.
