Smell the Roses – King’s Arms, Salford

Meet Molly. Young, motivated, engaging and real. She runs her own florist and from it helps her customers acknowledge key moments in their lives by saying it with flowers. Whether it is the joy of assembling a bridal bouquet or a jilted lovers desperate offering, she constructs floral arrangements that are full of meaning and symbolism… who knew geraniums represent folly and stupidity? Certainly not me when I filled my garden with them!

When George finds his way into Molly’s little shop for a much needed Fuck You Bouquet a ‘romantic comedy’ begins. The problem is, I found it neither romantic nor comic. George finds ways to come in and out of Mollys shop for multiple reasons, none of which are especially convincing. He asks Molly to teach him about floristry and the meanings of flowers which she charmingly does. For me all indications were that this bumbling, inconsistent, twit has a crush on this charming and sweet young woman. Not the case apparently. It is she who falls for him, declares it, is rejected and then the cliched will they/won’t they begins.

I found Alicia Percy as Molly very engaging and likeable and able to carry the piece well.  Tommy Lowe as George captures his character well, but I found supporting roles lacking any depth and somewhat obvious.

At 40 minutes this is a brief piece which does not really gather any momentum and skirts over significant issues that could have been explored further – Molly’s relationship with her unsupportive and judgmental family; George’s devastating replacement as groom at his own wedding by his brother; the difficulties of being young and running your own business.

Opportunities are missed and there is little dramatic tension or connection, and the audience was left feeling more was needed, despite the positive energy of the cast.

All in all, a disappointing and underdeveloped piece of work that did not deliver its main promise; to be romantic and to be comic. But it did teach me something; if someone buys me a bouquet of flowers containing yellow hyacinths and carnations, I should run a mile.

Reviewer: Lou Kershaw

Reviewed: 2nd July 2023

North West End UK Rating: