THE ABSOLUT FRINGE 2012has more than 100 shows playing out across Dublin until 23 September. Each day, TheJournal.ie will bring you our readers’ reviews of the pick of the crop and everything in between. You’ll get the chance to get in on the act yourself with our daily reader review tickets giveaway!

Today’s review:

Singlehood

(Una McKevitt)

Aidan Knowles’s review: Looking for love? So are the cast of Singlehood, and they’re willing to have an open conversation about it.

This Dublin Fringe Fest production – fresh from a test run at Electric Picnic – offers both humorous takes and poignant insights into life both in and out of relationships.

It’s hard not to chuckle when the lively singleton cast – an eight strong mix of professional and nonprofessional performers – recall both their own dating experiences combined with anecdotes combed from the love lives of friends and strangers.

Narratives are chained together by a catchy thematic soundtrack performed live by tongue in cheek duo The Guilty Folk. Expect some great original musical numbers like ‘Alone Again’, ‘Holes’, ‘Online’ and the hilarious cast ensemble sing along ‘AWLF’ (leaving that abbreviation up to your imagination).

Onstage, the troupe embody all aspects of society – straight, gay, married, separated, young, old and the self-proclaimed “chronically single”.

No stone is left unturned in the discussion of singleton existence – from internet dating to love and loss. Passing mentions of hardons, holes and hook-ups might raise a few eyebrows. But the material isn’t crude or explicit, but rather thoughtfully presented in a frank, truthful and engaging manner.

Behind the intrinsic comedy, there are some serious moments. As one cast member dishearteningly admits, it can be lonely “coming home from work and being greeted by the cat”.

Singlehood is an entertaining and thought provoking production any audience can identify with, whatever their relationship status.

In three words? Singles, singalongs, and laughs

Read more Fringe Fest reviews in a nutshell>

Read more of TheJournal.ie’s ABSOLUT Fringe coverage here>

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