Adelaide Fringe 2014
The Situation
Sunkissed
Genre: Mainstream Theatre
Venue: Ayers House Museum, The Loft – 288 North Terrace, Adelaide
Festival: Adelaide Fringe
Low Down
Sophie takes the audience through the trials and tribulations of online dating and gives an insight into the unwritten rules of dating. It is a humorous and unnervingly realistic portrayal of how people find love using social media. At times it is an exaggerated portrayal of the human condition but the humour and irony never wavers.
Review
Sophie has been dumped by her boyfriend of four years—caught in a limbo between her previous relationship and the next one (or even a rebound fling) she tries her hand at online dating. Her friends convince her that this is the way people meet, and that the online dating scene is no longer for socially awkward people who have difficulty meeting like-minded individuals in the real world. Throw in a few statistics about how many of her Facebook friends have active online dating profiles and Sophie hesitantly delves in, only to find that her choices have tripled and the world is even more confusing; she does what any girl would do in this situation and begins to overanalyse everything. From profile pics, to bios, to mutual friends and even her own actions, everything has sub-text and hidden meanings.
As she navigates her way through different websites, apps, several bad dates and social media faux pas it is evident that there are a number of unwritten rules and tips for a successful date, as Sophie learns the hard way:
- Never go to a guy’s house on a first date, no matter how well the date is going
- Trust your instincts—if there is no spark then cut your losses and say goodbye
- Following on from the previous point, ALWAYS have an escape route if you get caught in a horrifyingly boring date
- There is the truth and the ‘truth’ about how many people are interested in your online profile. This is classified information and may cause distress to your date should he find out the truth
- Finally, never ever drink excessively on a first date as this may lead to detailed revelations about past relationships, sex life, emotional and psychological trauma, or worse, drunk Facebook statuses, Tweets and Instagram photos for the world to see…
Amanda Jane Porter performs this one-woman show clearly and confidently. It is a dissected commentary about how people’s lives revolve around social media and the traps they fall into. The script is casual and she draws the audience in with her jokes and references to everyday social media occurrences and events. Porter connects with the audience through her candid narrations and realistic enactments; the audience is quick to respond her anecdotes and jibes, as the character’s situation is an increasingly familiar one. She is a down-to-earth, and at times scatty person, which again is something most people experience especially when it comes to relationships.
The end is satisfying (but somewhat predictable) and open to predictions about Sophie’s future. The story builds steadily and many aspects resonate strongly #notsospecialafterall. The venue is simply decorated and the limited seating is ideal for the intimate performance. Anyone who uses social media will enjoy this show and its observations on contemporary human interaction.
