Pity the new couple who blithely booked to see Strategic Love Play, seduced by the rave reviews it landed at the Edinburgh fringe last month, and the fact it has ‘love’ in the title. Miriam Battye’s comedy is bitter enough to wither any budding romance like an early frost. It’s cynical, fun, and as gripping as a friend’s rapid-fire WhatsApps from a disastrous first date.
It centres on ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ (trendy plays don’t allot names any more, ’tis the law), who matched on a dating app and are now doomed to torment each other for the duration of at least two pints. He’s just a nice bloke: Archie Blackhouse is all affable, slightly dozy charm as he sips his beer and tries to take the awkwardness of the situation in his stride.
