The Glass Between Us

Shoestring Players—West End Cultural Centre-Ventura Hall

Two women who have never met face to face build a deep connection through the frosted glass divider on their balconies, one working through getting herself back out there in a series of terrible online dates, and the other working through her own grief and sense of mortality.

We jump between the conversations these women hold and the dates, reflecting on how they went and how they made our lead Kate feel. The unfortunate thing is that the dates themselves are cartoonishly bad, from an unemployed ex-jock who peaked in high school to a perfumist regularly flashing the audience to a cartoon villain threatening to destroy Kate’s life through hacking should she fail to submit. There’s humour there, but they’re flat without a lot to grab onto because of how irredeemably bad the men are, the only real outcome being everyone standing up and clapping once Kate gives them their comeuppance.

There’s some interesting notes on age, and the challenge of finding love and connection later in life. But cringing more than I laughed was likely not the intended effect.

Josh Fidelak