Me For You – Pleasance Courtyard (The Green)

‘Me for You’ is a fascinating play about two women who are in love. It has a sparkling, very funny script and is beautifully performed. The climate emergency provides an intriguing backdrop to this contemporary drama.

Holly has been seeing Jake for quite some time. Now they want to have a child together. But Jake comes to regret the day he introduces Holly to his friend and workmate, Alex. The two women quickly fall in love. For a while Holly continues to sleep with Jake but, as she’s also having an affair with Alex, she stops taking the pill.

Holly finally tells Jake the truth. Understandably he’s very upset. And Holly’s assurance that “It’s you, not me” and that she still cares about him, doesn’t really help Jake to feel any better.

Two people had loved each other. But the relationship has ended because one of them met and felt a greater love for someone else. Is it ok to behave selfishly because we’re in love?

Now Holly and Alex want to have a baby together. They would both like to give birth, but Alex agrees to Holly’s overwhelming desire to bear their child. They look at photos of potential sperm donors, men who will have to provide samples twice a week, possibly for months. “They’re all wankers”, Holly declares. They choose the man they think is the most attractive.

Holly gets pregnant. So too does Jake’s new girlfriend, Nicole. Then one day Jake phones Alex to tell her that he and Nicole have lost their baby. Holly feels sorry for them, but her overwhelming emotion is one of relief that she and Alex still have their baby.

Holly had persuaded Alex to help her try to save the planet by joining Extinction Rebellion (ER). They discuss the risks of being arrested while protesting. Recent legislation passed by the Conservatives, but unlikely to be repealed by Labour, has curbed the activities of climate activists and others by restricting the right to peaceful protest. This paved the way for long sentences to be meted out recently to Just Stop Oil campaigners for “conspiracy to commit public nuisance”.

Even as Holly’s pregnancy continues, their local group discusses possible direct action. ER is committed to non-violence but supports civil disobedience. Holly and Alex don’t live near any obvious target such as a power station. The only target they’re near is the headquarters of a bank which has huge investments in fossil fuels. But that bank is where Holly works. She needs to keep her job, followed by maternity leave and maybe part time work after that. A classic conflict between principles and practicality.

Holly says human beings are selfish and will always do what is best for them.

Although campaigning is important to Holly and Alex, what is more important is their love for each other and what works best for them. That doesn’t make them selfish so much as wrapped up in their own lives. They want to save the planet, but everyday life sometimes gets in the way.

But is everyone – including those doing their best to do what is right – selfish, as Holly claims? Selfish people think only of themselves.  If we think of others, and our goals will benefit all of humankind including us, that’s surely enlightened self-interest not selfishness.

Playwright Rachel E Thorn plays Holly, and Elizabeth Hope is Alex. Holly is extrovert and middle class with matching accent while Alex is feisty and working class with a Northern English accent. Both actors have a commanding onstage presence. They have a warm rapport with each other and with the audience, who are addressed directly much of the time. Two outstanding performances by very talented actors.

This is a fast moving production with crisp direction by Helen Tennison which helps ensure that the 75 minutes fly by. 

The sound effects, designed by Ed Heaton, are imaginative and varied. But maybe because they’re so good, they’re used too much. And sometimes the incidental music or sound, when played during scenes, is a bit distracting.

Very impressive that Thorn’s fabulous script includes audio descriptions meaning that all performances are accessible to those with a visual impairment.

This wonderful show runs until 25th August (not 13th). Tickets from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/me-for-you  

Reviewer: Tom Scott

Reviewed: 9th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: