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Playing Love. An Episcopal Sex Comedy

 
Isabella Thompson Review by Isabella Thompson 3 Published: 9 Aug 2025 Bedlam Theatre Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-10 Aug 2025

Aidan Monks’ Playing Love follows a seminary love triangle full of wicked desire and scandalous secrets. The concept holds promise, and the writing offers moments of intelligent, refreshing dialogue.

There’s definitely potential here, and flashes of brilliance

However, despite its strong foundation, the show struggles to fully deliver. The script sometimes feels overly dense and chaotic, rushing into hysteria and arguments before we’ve had a chance to connect with the characters. This makes it hard to invest emotionally or for moments of climax to deliver the way they are intended. The philosophising sprinkled throughout is thoughtful, but ultimately feels unresolved and leaves the audience wanting more closure, especially when the characters ultimately settle on leaving their fates to chance.

While the humour lands here and there, inconsistent delivery and overly self-aware performances undercut many of the jokes. Direction feels unfocused and largely informed by a stereotypical view of the farce genre, leaning into exaggeration that often overwhelms rather than enhances the narrative.

There’s definitely potential here, and flashes of brilliance, but the overall execution misses the mark. With tighter direction and more nuanced performances, this mischievous comedy could become a hidden gem.

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The Blurb:

Proposal Day – four theologians at a sleepy seminary are soon to be ordained. In an apartment living room only yards away from the campus, these students on the brink of maturity find themselves caught in a sexual square-dance where feelings run riot, intelligence is victim to desire and games of wit, chance and smarts can bring time to a deafening standstill. Playing Love is a comedy of manners – about faith, devotion, sex and luck – taking on the Fringe after a sold-out run in St Andrews. What d’you say? Heads or tails?