Review: So Young at The Old Fitz Theatre

Review by Anja Bless

How big is too big of an age gap for a relationship? If your spouse dies, how soon is too soon to move on with someone else? To marry again? These are the kinds of thorny questions that So Young (Douglas Maxwell) dives headfirst into (glasses of wine in hand), and the gloves are off. 

Currently showing at The Old Fitz Theatre, this Australian premiere of the award-winning Edinburgh Fringe Festival show follows one night in the lives of a group of friends as they find different ways to process the death of one of their own. Set in Glasgow in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Milo (Henry Nixon) is anxious for his long-time mates, Lianne (Ainslie McGlynn) and Davie (Jeremy Waters) to meet his new girlfriend, Greta (Aisha Aidara). Milo also has good cause to be nervous as Greta is 25 years his junior, and his own wife, best friend of Lianne, has passed away just three months earlier. 

But So Young isn’t by any means a tacky drama feasting on scandal. Rather, it is a raw and tender exploration of the fear that comes with aging, the desire of some to move on and grow while others yearn for the past, the beauty of companionship, and the rifts that can form between both friends and different generations. On this last theme, So Young does at times lean a little too strongly into stereotypes. Greta occasionally becomes a caricature of Generation Z, and for parents of two teenage boys, Gen X Davie and Lianne are surprisingly disconnected from new slang or trends. But Aidara’s physicality as Greta, curled up and slouching with her shoes on the couch, has the subtlety to emulate the casualness of her generation. Likewise, she embodies the confidence and emotional intelligence that often goes unrecognised among Gen Z. McGlynn and Waters also capture the spirits of their characters’ partnership, a long-term marriage in its golden years, full of familiarity, occasional resentments or boredom, but grounded in trust and steady love. Nixon also warms into the role of Milo, capturing both his awkwardness and excitement at his new adventure. While the intimacy between Milo and Greta can at times be uncomfortable for the audience (and Milo’s friends) to witness (though the production has also wisely been supported by intimacy consultant Cristabel Sved), Nixon’s portrayal of Milo’s juxtaposing grief and joy is captivating. Credit should also go to director Sam O’Sullivan for helping the cast navigate these dynamics, from thoughtful and reflective two-hander moments, through to four-way blow outs. 

There are very few misses in this production. The set and costume design by Kate Beere immediately transports the audience straight into the Glaswegian living room setting, and Aron Murray’s lighting design paired with Johnny Young’s sound has some beautiful moments – like the headlights and road noise of passing cars while Milo and Davie are on the balcony. There were times where the Scottish accents by the cast did slip, but these were rare. The ending of Maxwell’s script, while outside of this production’s control, also perhaps feels less realistic given the circumstances of these characters and left some audience members feeling unsatisfied. 

But these are minor grievances among what is a funny, moving, and all-round entertaining production. If you are able to get down to The Old Fitz during this run, it’s not one to be missed. 

Image Credit: Richard Farland