We meet Edie (Maisy Fuggle) as she consults a psychiatrist in an effort to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. We are then taken on a journey of Edie’s life with Harvey (Patryk Wachowiak), who she meets in a coffee shop when she is venting to the barista about her coffee, which is definitely not made with coconut milk as requested. Harvey is intrigued by this fiery girl that he met in the coffee shop, and they begin dating. Harvey is a book shop assistant, and Edie works in an estate agency in a job that she complains about constantly. The couple grow closer together, meeting each other’s parents and eventually decide to move in together.
The couple have their whole life ahead of them, making plans to go on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Australia, and picking the colour scheme for their house, but their happiness will be short-lived. Harvey soon discovers symptoms that do not go away, and the distressing nature of his condition takes its toll on his health.
The play moves along at a fast pace, there is a five-year relationship to pack into ninety minutes, and each short scene is a snapshot of moments that the couple shared together. During the quick scene changes, there was a click and dimming of the lights, the changes were quick and well-practiced, but the click noise grew wearing after a while, and it really was not needed when the dimming of the lights indicated a change – just a minor irritation, but when there are so many, it does get a little irksome. It is a testament to the high standard of the writing and performance, that my only negative comment is concerning a click. The writing was well constructed, with a sensitivity to the grave situation that this young couple found themselves in, whilst also keeping a young vibe as Edie and Harvey are so full of life.
The performances from the three actors Maisy Fuggle (Edie), Patryk Wachowiak (Harvey), and the versatile Mya Agrawal who played multiple roles were exceptional, and they moved between the romantic early years of their relationship, to the shock of the cancer diagnosis. There were many times that this reviewer shed a tear, and I was not alone in this – the audience were in the room with this unlucky couple, and the power of the writing and performance resulted in the empathy of the audience.
I do not see standing ovations at many fringe theatre shows, but this one that I witnessed was well deserved. This is truly exceptional writing for a newly graduated drama student, and Maisy Fuggle should be enormously proud, and continue to develop her writing skills.
Lavender has finished its run at Camden Fringe Festival, but I am sure that we will be hearing more from these individuals.
Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 21st August 2025
North West End UK Rating: