Reviewed by Sally Putnam
November 2012
My Romantic History is a funny, well produced and directed show. The play focuses on the ups and downs of finding a mate. The play alternately made the audience wince with shared recollections of being in similar situations and laugh out loud for the same reasons.
The cast is excellent, a well-balanced ensemble who are obviously enjoying their roles and are able to play different characters convincingly. Tom, Simon Davey, and Amy, Bronwyn Palmer switch confidently between confiding their inner thoughts to the audience and returning to action. They are well supported by Justine Gaudreau-Fewster, Alexandra Lopez and Nick Fagan.
John Wells‘ direction is tight and his use of lights and sound add to the overall effect. Hayley Horton‘s set provides everything that the play needs without any fussiness and aids the slick movement between places and time zones. Costumes are simple and effective in helping both actors and audience to identify which character was on stage.
The play adapted from a Scottish setting to Adelaide often took the easy way out with a major overload of expletives which became tiresome. The first half was stronger than the second which is a problem with the writing not the actors. The second half failed to bring out the potential poignancy of the situation when it tried to bring everything to a satisfactory conclusion.
I enjoyed My Romantic History and felt that I was in good hands both creatively and technically.
