REVIEW: BIG LOVE by David Brady at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre 27 October – 7 November 2026
‘Romantic, mysterious and warm hearted’ ★★★★
Likely to be marmite, but highly recommended for the romantics amongst you, for anyone who wants a diversion from the mundane. It’s ideal for couples but somehow it has the heart of a lonely soul longing for romance, an attachment which is somehow elusive.
We’re taken on a journey, by just one character; Sam played by Samual Warren. The show breaks the fourth wall and it’s highly interactive, drawing in the audience (very gently and kindly). In an unusual and innovative move, David Brady, the writer, who is also technician for the night, is a major part of this interaction. He plays himself, and I’m sure he’d agree that this is a wise move, he doesn’t accept ‘actor’ as one of his many talents. Brady also directs the show and keeps everything moving, using basic props and confetti, along with some quick costume changes to help with the visuals.
Most well-used prop is the red telephone and on the other side of the stage is a large red button with the instruction ‘do not press’. The telephone keeps ringing, but Sam won’t answer it. It adds mystery to this piece and clear symbolism which has us all guessing the outcome, but no spoilers here.
The sound for the show adds another dimension, it’s not subtle, it’s adds important information and is meant to represent a life, (Sam’s), and audiences might well relate to much of this. As an old girl reviewer myself, my feeling is that it’s not a show for me. I even thought that the first scenes wouldn’t need much tweaking to become an ideal show for children, with the big red button and phone and the actor chatting to people as though they are his confidants. However, when the shift comes, the childish feeling quickly evaporates and we’re left with something a little unnerving, we’re getting closer to the heart of the show; and there’s no shortage of heart here.
BIG LOVE is part of the HERE FOR season of shows at Lion and Unicorn Theatre produced by Proforca Theatre Company (founded by Brady). It’s a first-of-its-kind supported season of breakout work, designed for next stage companies. With so many new companies bringing their work to the stage, it becomes important to give opportunities to those who are ready for bigger things. It’s a tremendous commitment which deserves much applause along with the hope that it might be possible to repeat the season in other years.
Finally, another point about BIG LOVE, which is certainly worth highlighting, is how much it gives a feeling of community and with plenty of laugh out loud moments, it’s a show to be enjoyed.
Box office https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on
