Jess, Holly and Oscar are friends at university. Jess and Holly are very close and and live together; and Jess is also dating Oscar. That’s it for the concept, a simple student story. But rather than proving limiting, the tale takes on a larger-than-life form, both frivolous and poignant.
When Jess and Oscar split up due to Jess’s immature behaviour, Oscar turns to Holly for comfort… and quite predictably, the two get carried away and end up kissing. For a while, the group are trying to attempt some sort of three-way, modern-day relationship. It just doesn’t work. From there on, the play takes a smooth turn to deliver a fine ending.
All three actors fill their roles well. Oscar is the typical confused boy who doesn’t know what’s good for him; Holly is the mature one, with her head screwed on even at that age, while Jess is extroverted and attention-seeking. The scenes that build on the girls’ friendship in particular are both entertaining and warming. The script forms appealing character arcs and takes them through to a satisfying finish, and the Bollywood songs are a nice touch as well.
This is a very enjoyable production. It has a very familiar sense about it: most people will have experienced something similar in their late teens, or witnessed friends who did. The end is particularly good, not much predictable as is realistic, tying off loose threads and giving the audience a sense of moving on from the characters. With a few more shows left on their run, Cracked Pepper Productions are definitely worth a watch.