In a world were sex and dating rule every aspect of entertainment it is hard to come up with a new angle on relationships. Revolving Door doesn’t purport to have found a niche, but does present an intelligently observed look at the dating game.
Opening with three awkward first dates (two of which swap partners), the play follows the development of the couples over their first six months. The stories aren’t new, but a blend of stuff we’ve seen before - meaningless sex, jealousy and even abstinence - in our own lives and in movies, and rather than pass comment on dating in the 21st Century concentrates on individual relationships.
All the characters are perfectly formed, from the testosterone pumped virgin to the ”nice” guy, and give a great cross-section of personalities and tastes. As in The Office, you are bound to spot somebody or something you recognise and the beauty of Revolving Door is it’s accuracy and relevance - they are situations we’ve all been, or will be, in.
While definitely not setting the world alight, Revolving Door is a more than competent piece about love today. It’s well written, well played and, moreover, well received. In fact, there is little to complain about, apart from the lack of originality.
4/5
Richard Biggs
