Theatre review: Such Filthy F*cks, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh

The ‘boy meets girl’ genre of romantic comedy has already had an upgrade through Fringe productions which have adapted it to the rise of the internet and online dating in recent years, but this new two-hander by writer and director Oli Forsyth takes the concept to a new and darker level.

Such Filthy F*cks, Pleasance Dome (Venue 23)

Such Filthy F*cks, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh * * *

Luka and teacher Jules are both addicted to online porn, to the extent that she is unable to quit watching it even when she’s at work, and their mutually self-destructive habits come together in a relationship which displays a rich depth of understanding of a phenomenon which is very new and very pervasive.

This is not a play which seeks to judge over the use of or participation in pornography; in fact, it isn’t really – aside from moments of revelation about unique kinks which apply, for example a fascination with watching clips in gif form – about pornography at all. Rather, it’s a play about the internet, and about how its use is rewiring our brains to new and previously unknown forms of behaviour.

Until 26 August.

David Pollock

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