It’s bonfire night, an evening of fireworks and the bombshell news that they are stopping the cancer treatment of Ava’s dad. It’s something that threatens to blow her life apart.
He is however determined to go out before his condition robs him of any quality of life and when Ava bumps into Theo in a bar sparks fly. Through amusingly awkward “foreplay” she insists that it is not like her and that they get to know each other – quickly!
The burgeoning relationship is overshadowed by her father’s illness, the fear of loss driving a wedge between them, commitment potentially meaning hurt and if they admit to being in love, then what? Is it easier to not love at all?
Stuck in an exhausting limbo of knowing that her dad, the most incredible man she ever met, is going to die, Ava struggles to reach acceptance and instead chooses hope. Faith might not be enough in a world where things are falling apart.
While the romcom element follows a fairly predictable arc, this debut play is well directed with excellent, generous performances and the underlying plot produces some truly poignant, moving moments.
This enjoyable production about love, hope and grief manages to entertain while talking about the one thing which we are not good at.
Show Times: 2 - 28 Aug (not 14, 21) at 3.35pm. (Captioned 26, Relaxed 15).
Tickets: £13 (£12) to £15 (£13).
Suitability: 16+ (contains distressing or potentially triggering themes and strong language, special effects)