Carbon Dating

Synopsis:

A group of four actors – two female, two male – plays a series of fourteen characters on a succession of first dates.

Through the rich panoply of hilarious, sometimes excruciating detail of the various first-date scenarios, we come to discover the complex web of interweaving relationships that exists between these characters.

In so doing, we are brought to the realisation that, as unique as each of us is, there is a certain primal template for the mating ritual that cannot be ignored.

Part of the folklore of this ritual is the necessary myth that, somewhere out there, there is a Mr or Ms Right for each of us.

But a myth, necessary or otherwise, is nevertheless a myth.

There is nothing new under the sun.

Character Breakdown:

Cast of four – two female, two male.  Each plays multiple roles.

CHLOE
TED
NEL
STEWART
PHOEBE
RICARDO
SIENNA
CHASE
GISELLE
VADIM
LOLA
GREG
DAMIEN
SCOTT

 MALE ACTOR I – TED / GREG / RICARDO / SCOTT / STEWART

FEMALE ACTOR I – CHLOE / SIENNA / PHOEBE

FEMALE ACTOR II – GISELLE / LOLA / NEL

MALE ACTOR II – VADIM / DAMIEN / CHASE

Setting:
A restaurant.

Production History:
World Premiere: Gold Coast Arts Centre.  Mercury’s Wings.  2011.
Other Productions:  OutFox Productions, London. 2012.

Publication:  Australian Playscripts.  2012.

Publication  1989.  Currency Press.

Running-time: 120 minutes.

Reviews:

★★★★
“.. a slick, funny and all-round entertaining show.. tragic, cringe-worthy and hilarious.. a very enjoyable experience.”
Tom Oakley, One Stop Arts (London)

“.. a guilty pleasure of a play.. by turns funny and excruciating.. ridiculously watchable..”
Natasha Kaeda, A Younger Theatre (London)

“..funny, witty and always interesting.. another hit!”
Gil Stoker, British Theatre Guide

“.. The show thrives for its witty dialogue and entertaining characters.. definitely worth catching if you’re in the mood for a good, old-fashioned blockbuster style chick-flick live-stage style.”
Chelsea Pippin, Everything Theatre Blog (London)

“.. a glorious reminder of what a big deal a first date is.”
Kate Gould, South London Press

Excerpt available for download for free.