Brad Checked In

When I was single (last century) organising a first date used to be so much more time consuming. There were sweaty palms as you leafed through the white pages looking for her phone number, then the nervous wait as the dial tone rings and rings.

Or trawling at the party or pub for that single one. Have I passed the audition?

These days the newly single have it easier. A flick through an ap on their phone and they can organise a first date in seconds. Or just look up someone on Facebook and like their picture.

Paula Noble has her finger on the pulse in the light comedy Brad Checked In.

Brad  (Yannick Lawry) is newly single and egged on by his aptly named mate Grub (Daniel Bunton) dives into the newly liberating world of on-line dating.

It is a funny and entertaining night, but lacks a bit of sizzle.

There was too much entrée and not enough main course.

Brad has plenty to offer those on the single scene. But complications arrive for him when his ex Maggie (Kate Englefield) returns to his home, and man eating real estate agent Di (Imogen French) brings along with her, the baggage of an aggressive  ex-husband Gary (Andrew George).

It was an attractively cast and staged production.  Most of the action took place on a red hot couch and at a bar.

Yannick Lawry was ever energetic as Brad but was not given the opportunity by the writer to develop as a character.

Instead that journey was left, surprisingly, to his mate Grub.

It made the night feel like speed dating rather than a more satisfying long term relationship.

David Spicer

Images: Daniel Bunton and Yannick Lawry & Kate Englefield, Daniel Burton, Celia Kelly and Yannick Lawry. Photographer: Katy Green Loughrey.