The Serious Business of Choosing a Mate is two plays about marriage. One is new (Fairytale), one is Victorian (The Proposal). Both are comedies - slightly wry investigations into why, generally, people seek marriage - knowing that in an awful lot of cases it just doesn't work.

Fairytale by Jeremy Green is the new play - a time-warped, surreal drama. Statuesque princess (Emma West) pines for the - inevitable, for fairytale believers - entry of a lover to sweep her off her feet. The fact that she is something of a spoilt brat, and her kingdom is being invaded (by a rather modern army) make for an arresting scenario. Will she fall in love with the soldier from B Company (Brett Harris), despite the fact that her large mother is holding out against the invaders upstairs? Will he carry her off to the flat by the canal, so that they can live happily ever after? Or will another emerge who is more worthy?

There's a lot of good humour about this play, but tone is uneven. This makes it seem awkward at times, not excusable simply on the grounds that it is a comedy, or that the writer is trying to surprise. For those who can live with that, and the fact that the destiny of the lovely princess seems to be with a religious obsessive with antediluvian views on the place of women, there's a lot to like.

The Proposal (1890) is by Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). A nervous suitor (Brett Harris) comes calling on his landowner neighbour (Donal Cox) to propose to his daughter (Emma West). It's a light and good-humoured piece in which the three all agree - when they can summon up the ability to speak - that the marriage is greatly to be desired. They can't agree on anything else. It's lovingly over-acted - a bit too much so at times - with a great deal of energy from the cast.

Dylan Freed composes the music which introduces both plays, and which helps to set their moods. If these plays are to be believed, it may be worth treating happy-ever-afters with caution.

Cast Credits: (alpha order within play): Fairytale: Alexander D'Andrea - Barabas. Donal Cox - Servant. Brett Harris - Soldier. Emma West - Princess Lalia. The Proposal: Donal Cox - Stepan Stepanovitch. Brett Harris - Ivan Vassilievitch. Emma West - Natalya Stepanova.

Company Credits: Writer (Fairytale) - Jeremy Green. Writer (The Proposal, originally A Marriage Proposal) - Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904). Both Plays: Directors – Jeremy Green and Maria Chiorando. Music – Duncan Freed. Lighting Designer – Celina Jennings. Sound Designer - uncredited. Stage Manager – Emily Cutler. Technical Operator - uncredited. Publicity & Press - Emma West. Props – Ross Finbow. Producer - uncredited. Company - Candy King Theatre. Website - www.candykingtheatre.co.uk.

END

(c) Michael Spring 2009

reviewed Thursday 16 April 09 / The Pleasance, London UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com