It’s a Sheet Show boasts a promising concept: one bed, two people, the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship. However, despite its promise, the production lacked the simplicity necessary to make it a thoroughly engaging experience.
The first fault was the lack of a linear narrative. The show tracks a relationship from beginning to end, but we saw the couple’s first night together at the close of the show and their break-up fight half-way through. This felt unnecessary and confusing, and resulted in no emotional attachment to the couple from the audience, meaning that when they did break up, we had no stake in whether or not they stayed together.
Similarly, the nature of the relationship remained unclear throughout. While initially seeming to be boyfriend and girlfriend, we learn during the breakup that they were, in fact, only sleeping together, rendering any emotional attachment to them as a couple obsolete.
Both actors also played each other’s best friend, hearing the intricacies of the relationship third hand. This transition was achieved by the female character putting on a coat to become a man, and the male lead putting on a cardigan to become the girl-best-friend. A slightly unclear transition that did not add much to the narrative. Despite this, the script is witty and intelligent, and, with some narrative adjustments, accurately portrays the messy decisions of finding love in your twenties.
It’s Sheet Show is on at Greenside @ Riddles Court, Willow Studio, 13-17 August.
Buy tickets here.
Image provided to The Student by Fools and Thieves Theatre Company