Overview
Whether you're a blind romantic or a bit of a cynic, Midsummer has heaps more heart, wit and realism than we've come to expect from a romantic comedy. You won't find the oh so predictable scenario of "she hates him, he hates her, they fall madly in love and live happily ever after" here. In fact Scottish playwright David Greig, to his credit, even has the duo take the mickey out of this stale formula at one point.
Midsummer kicks off all fast-paced and breathless. At times the momentum is regained but it seems to wane a bit in the second half. Helena (Aidee Walker) is a divorce lawyer in Edinburgh. She's in a swanky bar looking for a one night stand to take her mind off her terrible taste in men. Sav blanc is the antidote, she's hoping, to a terrible suspicion she has but would rather forget about.
Bob (Dan Musgrove) is in the same bar killing time before his next 'job'. Bob's also known as 'Middle Bob', a nickname bestowed upon him due to his distinct lack of defining features. Life hasn't really gone the way Bob would have liked and through default he's ended up working as a petty criminal for a grizzly gangster called Big Tiny Tim.
Needless to say the two end up spending the night together. The sex isn't great at first and he's not the kind of guy Helena would normally be attracted to so she takes a while to warm to him. Although the hedonistic adventures of their second night together are a bit cliche, Bob's musings on the 30-something angst "is this all there is?" are bang on.
Catchy live tunes accompany the quick-witted dialogue in this play directed by Sophie Roberts. As well as doing a great job of their performances, Musgrove and Walker also show themselves to be pretty solid singers and guitarists. I like the way bursting into song changes the tempo of the play but no doubt it won't be to everybody's liking. Midsummer is a genuinely sweet and funny romantic comedy. And what's not to like about that?