one4review | On 10, Aug 2026

In a converted lecture room, Sarah Bradley sets her stall out early, with a top-notch, high-production VT intro filmed around Edinburgh, setting the tone that we are not in Kansas anymore. We are about to be transferred to the romcom-osphere, where logic and reality is suspended for the next hour, like visiting a sexually charged Brigadoon B&B run by Mr Darcy.
She goes through the rules about why she created this show as her solution to the hellscape of dating apps. She just wanted to make things as happy as the movies, firstly for her own self-esteem and now branching out.
Now, the building blocks. There are three heroines: your Bridget (Bridget Jones), Stella (Stella Gets Her Groove Back) and a Meg (any Meg Ryan). Like a hormonal adventure book, the audience, with their suggestions, gets to build the perfect beast: a scenario so unique you can imagine Netflix holding up a ghetto blaster playing Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes through the window to get her attention and sign a production deal.
She has dissected 150+ romcoms into categories and sub-sections. The devil isn’t just in the detail; she is one as she turns into a Kate Hudson Beelzebub, adding to her label as a comedic Hannah Fry with a new power play as a forensic rom-inatrix, holding court and bringing order when things have the potential to get out of control, with an overenthusiastic audience. Instead, it feels just like a well-oiled romcom machine.
Bradley is an absolute joy and oozes charisma, just being clever and genuinely funny and in a space where she excels (no pun intended). Last year is big pants to improve on, but she does so with something that, on paper, could have folded early on if it wasn’t for her dedication and craft.
Has all the potential to translate to other media, and maybe Netflix could call and declare their undying love? In Bradley’s perfect world, it could happen, and like a true rom-com, you will be rooting for our heroine and cheering in the aisles.

****
Reviewed by Steve H
Gilded Balloon Patter House
Until 31st August (not 17th)
14:40 (1 hour)