THEATRE: LOVEBITES

“It’s like, why the hell do I do this?! Why the fuck do I try?!” Love can be so trying. Yet blissful! And heart-breaking … but also exciting! Whatever your experience of love, James Millar and Peter Rutherford have written it into LoveBites. This is the second musical Millar (writer) and Rutherford (composer) have penned together and despite its century-old, universally explored subject matter, LoveBites, is humorous, entertaining and at times, tragic. Composed of a series of ‘short [love] stories’, it explore the loneliness of Bob and Louise, the beauty discovered by Georgie and Peter and the pure misfortune of Annie and Kevin. The performers are all obviously masters of their craft and the comedic timing of David Harris and Amelia Cormack is notable. However, like any musical, some moments are purely naff. Such as the solo number, Just The One pleasantly sung by Madeline (Sophia Ragvelas), who stands alone in a spotlight on a sparse stage and stiltedly sings, word for word, what would have best been spoken as a monologue. The visual projections also seem an unnecessary contribution. Whether you relate to Georgie and Peter, Madeline and Poppy or Annie and Kevin, you will walk out with a spring in your step – after all, love bites us all in the end.

Until Dec 5th, Seymour Theatre Centre, cnr City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale, $20, 9351 7940 or seymourcentre.usyd.edu.au