Theatre review: This Much [or An Act of Violence Towards the Institution of Marriage]

This Much is written by John Fitzpatrick, although the cast list says it's also partly developed with director Kate Sagovsky and the original cast, and these many cooks may be one reason the end result lacks focus, despite many strong elements. Subtitled An Act of Violence Towards the Institution of Marriage (which I imagine is a quote from an objection to the legalisation of equal marriage, although I don't know the source and a quick google only brings me back to this play,) it looks at how a gay couple might actually find themselves more constricted by their increase in options, not less. Unemployed Gar (Lewis Hart) has been dating Anthony (Simon Carroll-Jones) for about eighteen months, and and now they're living together, but while Anthony has settled into a cosy housewife role, Gar's eye is wandering.

Theatre review: A Third

With the Finborough Theatre turned into an upper-middle class living room for Alpha Beta, they couldn't venture too far from that for their alternate show. Hence A Third, Laura Jacqmin's look at modern marriage and how the reality of polyamorous relationships stacks up against the fantasy. After six years of marriage Paul (Jeremy Legat) and Allison (Asha Reid) are still in love and still attracted to each other, but want to pre-empt the seven-year itch and think threesomes - with very strict rules - are the answer. They find Jay (Will Alexander,) who's been "a third" many times before on Craigslist, and have a successful evening with him; next they go to a lesbian club night, where they convince Mariella (Lucy Roslyn) to join them. Not sure if they want to continue with the open relationship, the couple stop contacting both of them.