Park Theatre, London – until 16th May 2024
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
4****
About to turn 30, Brooke has a job she doesn’t particularly like, a relationship in the bin, and her mum is on at her about fixing the damp patch on the ceiling and finding a suitable life partner. Written and performed by Sadie Clark, Algorithms is a frankly delightful and truthful portrayal of the life and times of someone trying to live their best bisexual city life in their late 20s/early 30s.
In this hour and a bit long on woman show directed by Madelaine Moore, we meet Brooke. She’s grappling with the complexities of modern life while working for an online dating app called Slide Hustle, and after breaking up with her partner, she is asked to test out the app for an investment pitch. Algorithms govern all online activities including dating, so why not use that to your advantage. Make a spreadsheet, play the game, find a partner. It’s not so easy though. Like so many people these days, Brooke spends a lot of time online – texting, scrolling, and swiping. A call and response where the wait for the response is often long and anxiety inducing. What this show does so beautifully is show the loneliness of a life that is lived online, and the search for finding out who you are in a world where the possibilities are endless.
This production has heart and hilarity in huge supply,and the misadventures are all intensely relatable. Clark is absolutely fantastic in the role, switching characters and keeping pace easily. The staging is simple but effective. Lighting design by Jennifer Rose and sound design by Nicola Chang are beautifully synchronised. They work together to define location changes and tonal shifts, complementing the writing perfectly.
This utterly charming and brutally honest portrayal of modern queer life is a relatable must for anyone who grew up watching early 2000s rom coms and frankly expecting more from life and themselves. Turns out we all know the words to Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, and maybe that is where we should all be looking for the connection we seek.