Craig Taylor first published these short stories in The Guardian and then in a book in 2009 as 95 short plays. The Watermill took a selection of around 30 of them, staged them in 2016 and that production returns to the theatre for a short run . As with any collection of short sketches some work better than others but the selection seems intent to offer a cross section of Britain, eavesdropping on conversations between parents and children, friends and work colleagues.
The randomness of the stories is emphasised by using a Bingo caller to apparently call the next play number with the two actors feigning surprise at the location they are required to create. In fact the whole show is very carefully choreographed by director Laura Keefe and costumed by Ceci Calf to make the changes slick and part of the entertainment.
The Bingo link is overplayed when the audience are invited to play a game of Bingo at the start of Act 2 for no obvious reason except that it is fun before being entertained with a simple Bingo song.
