We meet Gemma (Goldie Majtas) and Jane (Paige Cowell) at the taxi rank after a night out – they’re stumbling, slurring and fixated on a guy they almost met at the club. ‘He was definitely looking at us,’ they insist, nodding and giggling, only for their faces to drop when they realise they can’t find a taxi home. It’s a sharp and promising opening with the two bouncing off each other. Jane, in particular, has the audience in stitches as she snaps away on a disposable camera, determined to preserve a shred of the night for the morning after.

Back at their flat the next day, we find them nursing hangovers and trying to remember the evening’s antics. These moments are full of recognisable 20-something chaos – dissecting Gemma’s recent breakup, dancing around to music and launching into a full Instagram investigation to track down the aloof guy from the club. They find him and Jane sneakily sends a message to set up a date for Gemma, with a turn of events to follow that neither of them could’ve predicted.

While the scenes at the flat do a good job of capturing the genuineness and ease of their friendship, there were a few moments where the pacing slowed, and the dialogue leaned more towards casual conversation which, while authentic, occasionally felt like it paused the pace of the story or missed opportunities to explore the characters on a more nuanced level. Perhaps by trimming some dialogue or tightening a few areas, the flat moments could keep the natural feel while serving the narrative even more.

One particularly clever technique used in RANK is the projection of the disposable camera photos from the night out, spliced between scenes. The photos expand the world of the play and deepen our understanding of the night out without the need to stage every detail. Although we don’t see it, later on one photo in particular reveals a twist that alters the direction of the story. (Keeping it spoiler free!)

The audience was great and the buzz in the room created a really fun atmosphere!

Check out Rank Play on Instagram to see where it’ll be on next.

Press ticket.

Photo is the show poster.