The term bittersweet is a description used for many modern plays and City Love sits firmly in this camp: funny, sweet, relatable and ultimately heartbreaking.
Charting the relationship of two 20-somethings living in the city, it captures all the anxiety, giddy joy and passion of a young couple who find each other unexpectedly on a night bus.
Told through interweaving monologues, the audience lives through the relationship, witnessing both sides of the story, investing heavily in their fledgling romance.
Elizabeth Lloyd-Raynes and Sam Blake are completely believable, offering relatable, humorous and raw performances. The fusion of their performances with smart direction and such a nuanced script mean that, despite the short time slot, this story unfolds at an appropriate speed, their relationship ages and time takes it toll on their early optimism.
A snapshot of modern dating, expectations and obstacles, City Love is a gem of a show that is bound to resonate.