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Almost Everything

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 4 Published: 14 Aug 2025 Braw Venues @ Hill Street Show Dates: 1 Aug 2025-24 Aug 2025

Surprises are not uncommon in shows, but the way Almost Everything suddenly takes off past the halfway mark is stunning.

Realistic conversational writing, clear characterisation and a well-devloped plot

It’s also interesting that a theatre company of young people has opted for a naturalistic, domestic drama complete with matching set, neatly and authentically designed by Tiffany Yu. The sofa, the occasional table with chairs and a chessboard, and another with drinks immediately place us in a comfortable apartment. It belongs to Charlie. He’s an architect, currently looking for a new flatmate, and is conducting interviews. Some he’s dismissed and others have pulled out, which leaves Becca, who is perhaps something of a gamble, but by now he has little choice, and she is determined to move in.

Perhaps inevitably, the extent to which living under the same roof can remain a professional landlord–tenant relationship comes into question. Can cohabiting remain purely platonic, or is romance in the air? Will Becca’s excessive drinking and active social life prove too much for Charlie? Scenes move on apace, with incidents building up and the relationship becoming more complex but still leaving uncertainty as to where all this might be leading.

Then Becca’s older sister, Emily, arrives on the scene, and the dynamics change – not just in the household. After she is established as a character, events pile up, and an eruption occurs with a devastating wedding speech. Thereafter, the tension mounts, relationships rise and fall, and a couple of twists elevate the drama to a powerfully new level. “Wow! Where did that come from?”

The play is written by Lauren Barrie (Becca) and Ben McGuinness (Charlie), who, together with Imogen Eden-Brown, give solid, impassioned performances under the neat direction of Graham Newell. They all benefit from the quality of the realistic conversational writing, clear characterisation, and a well-developed plot.

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The Blurb:

Charlie needed a new flatmate. Becca needed a flat. They don't know it yet but the friendship they're about to build will spark a love that transcends time. Romantic or platonic? Even they're not sure. And when Emily (Becca's older sister) returns from her travels: let's just say... three is a crowd. Think Normal People meets One Day. Think Fleabag without the Catholicism. This modern love story comes with twists, turns and a dollop of sexual tension.