Births, Death and Marriages

• Alex Eades
• 10 August 2015

This article is from 2015.

Credit: Aaron Weight

Coming of age dramedy

People You May Know and New Wolsey Theatre Company previously produced a triple award nominated show in the form of Party Piece, garnering much critical and public acclaim. And so, with their new piece, Births, Deaths and Marriages, expectations are high. And, whilst some might find this quirky, if unremarkable, encounter a perfectly harmless piece of fun, it’s more comfortable than spectacular.

Set over a single night, four young people have some very big decisions to make. One has got his girlfriend pregnant, another is running away and contemplating death, whist a couple wrestle over their relationship after an ill-advised proposal. As the night rumbles on, the gravity of their situations begin to weigh ever heavier and the urgency of their choices burn deeper and brighter.

This well performed and cleverly structured show raises more than a few laughs in its hour long running time, but there are a few misses, such as an overly long gag involving the repetition of lyrics been played through a karaoke machine. However, it is largely an entertaining, inoffensive yarn, if almost instantly forgettable and not quite as profound as it thinks it is.

Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 17), 2pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50).