one4review | On 07, Aug 2024

The audience are greeted on arrival by Lairs, who welcomes us to her wedding, and we are all given a small gift to celebrate her marriage. Lairs’ breathless excitement is infectious, but with the introduction of her sceptical friend May onto the stage, we learn that Lairs’ dream of marriage has not been straightforward. The play’s narrative covers the period from their first meeting in London, where May (a US born student of Korean extraction) helps Lairs (a Chinese student) when she is struggling to be understood in a shop. From this moment of kindness, a friendship is born. May is equally attracted to, and frustrated by, Lairs’ chaotic and desperate pursuit of marriage, and Lairs calls upon May to be her rock when she finds herself in frequent stressful situations. Though both are from completely different backgrounds (cultural and financial), they have more in common than they think. Their lived experience in present day London, continues to be impacted by their childhood experiences of their parent’s choices in life.

The play is sprinkled with humour and the relationship between Lairs (Li Xu) and May (Joyce Lim) is beautifully portrayed by the actresses. Touching on other subjects such as abortion and relationships in the TikTok age, the play seems rather shorter than it could have been, but saying that, I really enjoyed it and left wanting more.

****
Reviewed by Rona
11.05am (50mins)
theSpace on The Mile
Until 10th August 2024