The break-up of two lovers can be a tortuous and painful experience. The memories of old love, and heartache can feel so keen that one could wish it away, along with all the memories.
That’s just what’s happened with Gina and Frankie, after a bitter and acrimonious parting. Gina has found a strange pill online that will allow them both to erase their lives together from time itself, if they both agree.
There’s more than a little nod to Michel Gondry’s film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this play. But instead of traipsing through the memories of the pair, this is more of an increasingly open and freeing conversation.
One aspect of the play that never quite gels is whether this is supposed to be a serious or a fantastical piece. The hyper-real conceit of the pill itself is somewhat stumbled over and gotten out of the way early on so the rest can continue. This leaves the rest of the performance free to wind the existential but relatable series of recriminations, fond remembrances and debates over the importance of growing and learning from pain and sadness.
It works at times, and at others the whole situation just never comes together. The performances are nuanced, with Lucy Harris and Atlanta Hayward playing off each other well and being believably different enough to convince as an awkwardly unmatched couple. The real issue is the pacing of the piece, as it never builds so much as just goes round in circles for much of the runtime. The actual building up to a decision drops somewhat abruptly, and, while it leaves much to ponder, it also feels far flimsier than it ought to be.