We take a look at what is being said about this latest run for Miriam Battye’s play, running at the Soho Theatre until the 15th June.
Broadway World: **** “The witty back-and-forth is fresh and captivating, shorn of the usual cliches and tired tropes; she doesn’t (just) want a ring on her finger and he’s not here for (just) a casual encounter. Phantom onlookers – friends, family, their future selves – are the ever-present Banquos at this bonfire of vanities. Katie Posner’s direction maintains the intensity of rounds of quickfire conversations while allowing the characters space to breathe and think in between.”
All That Dazzles: **** “As the two protagonists hurl inappropriate anecdotes at one another, probing and jibing with wit and hilarity, it’s not hard to find the whole thing uncomfortably relatable.”
London Theatre 1: **** “This work is tight, compelling, hilarious and painful: it is so nearly perfect and without a doubt is absolutely a thought-provoking and entertaining must-see. And yet, I reserve one niggle for it that I can’t decide is central to it dramatically or a flippant and jejune deus ex machina. I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself – it’s worth every penny to wonder.”
Theatre Weekly: *** “The complexities of online dating has been covered many times on stage, but Miriam Battye’s acerbic dialogue takes male-female banter to another level. It’s push and pull, and cleverly captures the power dynamics of dating. Battye’s protagonists are layered, and the actors have plenty of dimensions to work with. The script brings alive the capriciousness of the couple’s meeting. As an audience we are never entirely sure which path it will take, and it makes us want to root for them more.”
A Young(ish) Perspective: **** ” The play is imbued with insightfulness and evokes a feeling of despair that echoes the character’s predicaments – Is this what we have come to? A society of lonely people, bereft of connection and romance?”
North West End: **** “It’s a toe-curlingly accurate depiction of what it’s like for anyone who’s had the misfortune of riding the rickety merry-go-round of online dating, with an achingly relatable script that covers plenty of ground. From pretending to care about someone’s dull job to updating your friends while your date is off buying the next round, it’s a hilariously truthful window into the often-perilous world of dating.”
Lost in Theatreland: **** “Strategic Love Play is a compelling and painfully accurate piece that offers a brutally honest look at the pitfalls of modern romance. It captures the anxiety and absurdity of dating in a digital age, where genuine connections are often buried under layers of performance and pretence. And, like any bog-standard Hinge date, its abrupt ending leaves you somewhat unsatisfied.”
West End Best Friend: **** “Battye’s play is certainly a conversation starter as the show ends abruptly and inconclusively, and the audience are left with a multitude of questions. Perhaps she has simply reflected the reality of dating, in that you can never know what someone is truly thinking. Sometimes, however dissatisfying, you will get ghosted and never obtain the answers you desire. Despite this, Strategic Love Play is an achingly relatable and funny dissection of modern dating culture.”
Adventures in Theatreland: **** “Strategic Love Play is a fascinating and hilarious play that guarantees its audience a good time.”
To book tickets visit: https://sohotheatre.com/events/strategic-love-play-2/