Review: One Night Stand, theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39b)

It’s the morning after the night before – the latter being a leaving do for an office colleague, following which twentysomething Brian (Shaun Kitchener, also the play’s author) wakes up alone in his new flat, an empty gin bottle by the bed.***

So far, so familiarly hungover (we’re to learn he’s a bit of a party animal), but he’s then considerably startled when Alice (Natalie Lester), another colleague, emerges from the en-suite bathroom, determinedly convinced of their budding romance (turns out she’s fancied him for ages) after a night together of which he can remember nothing.

Again, so far, so familiar as a comic scenario, and indeed, nothing particularly original ensues, as a cast of six, including Brian’s pregnant sister Megan (Rosa French) and hapless broadband technician Ross (Rob Ellis), each contribute to a chain of misunderstandings, crossed wires and mistaken identities.

The pacily heightened realism of both writing and execution is akin to that of a reasonable sitcom, alloyed with a dash of farce – which for a debut production, by student/graduate ensemble West Avenue Theatre Company, isn’t bad going, compared to many.

Until 18 August. Today 2:05pm.