Love Like This Isn’t Harmless

Performing in the Blue Room’s smallest and most intimate space for a very brief season, Bron Bateman’s autobiographical short play Love Like This Isn’t Harmless tells of a queer mother bringing up two sons, one who is gay, and the other who is trans mass.

The show features Bron, with her real-life family on a stage, where they are clearly packing a home for a move - a process that leads to reflection and reminiscing.

The Bateman family, which includes sons Noah and Javier, all speak with truth and genuine emotion, as they talk about their past, including times where the boys feel that their mother, a recovering alcoholic has let them down.

Nicely staged by director Liam Longley, the show features thoughtful lighting design by Jolena Whibley. The intimate performance space is ideal for this raw and emotive but gently unrolling show, but even in this tiny space, the performers can be hard to hear, perhaps feeling the emotion too much to project. There was also a little bit of line uncertainty at the first performance - an issue that I am sure was overcome.

It’s not often we see such a truthful and self-effacing show. Well done to all involved.

Kimberley Shaw

Click here to read more Fringe World 2026 reviews.