The Paines Plough Roundabout is located at the back of the courtyard at Summerhall. Over the Edinburgh Fringe and it has been the location of many brilliant pieces of new writing from a variety of different voices. Out of Love plays with time and memory to show the different relationships that people can experience with one another. The play spans thirty years and tells the story of Lorna and Grace (Katie Elin-Salt and Sally Messham). They are best friends and grow up together. We first meet them when they are young girls and the thought of university, marriage and children is far off into the distance. The men that enter and leave their lives are all played by Hassan Dixon. He conveys boyfriends, sleazy bosses and absent fathers. The relationships that the women encounter come and go, but their friendship endures.
Out of Love is written by Elinor Cook and it is presented as a series of nonlinear scenes that are woven together through drama and conflict. We go back and forth in time and witness Lorna and Grace at different periods of their lives. At times their story seems familiar – two girls growing up in a small town who eventually leave for the city, where their friendship is tested. However, the strength in the writing conveys a deep emotion, where the characters express their feelings with heart and passion.
Elinor Cook has written a fantastic play about love and friendship and it is a brilliant piece of new writing. Even though the story is not presented in chronological order, it is easy to follow. The strong performances from the talented cast ensure that the audience are in safe hands and this makes Out of Love a powerful performance to witness in the round at Paines Plough Roundabout.