Theatre
By Scott McArdle for The Blue Room Theatre Summer Nights & Second Chance Theatre
The Blue Room Theatre
21st February
By Amy Thomasson

Shrouded in cool blue lighting, disheveled yet seemingly at peace, sits one of the main characters; when the lights come up, the warm yellow feels nostalgic and is a stark contrast to the desolate atmosphere of the would-be cafe, had the apocalypse not stunted business.

Impeccably timed and beautifully staged, Coincidences at the End of Time is a pleasure to behold. While on the surface a relatively simple concept, and one that I expected I would struggle to take seriously, the play is incredibly meaningful and poignant, as the two protagonists use the end of the world as an opportunity to figure out where it all went wrong in their relationship six years ago. Not exactly your generic meet-cute.

Particularly notable is the clever use of lighting to transition between past and present as the characters act out “landmarks” of their relationship, each resonant in their own right. The dialogue is well thought out and evocative, the scene changes flawless and the plot relentlessly captivating, making Coincidences at the End of Time the highlight of my 2015 Fringe experience.

Coincidences is also very relatable; the audiences sees in the characters elements of past relationships as the answer to the question “Do you remember when we first met? Can we go back to that?” unfolds before them. The plot of Coincidences also allows McArdle to explore the reality of two people who have been given the opportunity to re-live their relationship and see things (quite literally) in a new light. They’re not re-living to revive, they’re re-living to understand, demonstrating a level of self-awareness and sensitivity that’s hard to capture in performance.

Ending the Fringe season with a bang, Coincidences is a deeply touching, evocative and intimate show that exceeds expectations and captivates the audience to the bitter, apocalyptic end.