Etcetera Theatre is in so tiny a space that you wouldn’t know it existed unless you were looking for it; hidden away on the top floor of a pub, we elbowed our way past raucous drunkards and made it inside.

The play itself focuses on the ventures of ‘Her’, played by Joanna Coulton, a ditsy, bubbly 20-something looking for love through social media. However, it felt more like a series of scenes rather than a fully-flowing story; something I noticed was her completely unavoidable touching of her hair. This meant it became less of an idiosyncrasy and more of a nervous tic. Unnerving at best.

One scene involved a man who had murdered someone. Anyone sensible would have immediately ended the relationship, but the fact that she doesn’t takes it into melodrama. There are plays that deal with the dangers of the internet but I felt this play was more about the self and the ideal self that you construct online. Someone turning out to be an utter psychopath is a bit extreme; yes, it happens, but there was neither the stage time nor energy to pull that off effectively.

I hate to completely bash the performance because I know how nerve-wracking it is presenting something entirely of your own creation. It’s not that the actors were bad, it just felt a bit contrived. For small theatre to succeed you have to keep it simple and I feel like the production focused too much on costume and props.

However, it was funny! The jokes landed and ‘Him’, played by Kieran Iyer, multi-roled quickly and effectively. The fact that there were only three actors on set was commendable because they filled the space well, and you definitely got a strong sense of character and personality. Something I always measure good theatre by is whether the time goes quicker because you’re absorbed in the story. I can safely say I didn’t check my watch once.

Overall I feel it was a really interesting topic to address but I just don’t feel like they tapped in to the most interesting elements of the subject. They could have done with a lot more with it; it had potential, but it didn’t always succeed. I don’t feel like it captured the essence of online dating and the questions it raises. Think before you swipe right for this one.

The Infinite Line between Dating and Dying played at Etcetera Theatre. For more information, see the Etcetera Theatre website.