What If?

Poked anyone interesting recently? If you don’t know what that means, then you’re unlikely to make much sense of “What If?”, an largely successful attempt at addressing that nagging feeling that our virtual social networks are safer and more satisfying than any of those pesky real-life relationships.

Neil is a straightforward, garden-variety drone. He gets up, he goes to work, he suffers at work, then he goes home, logs on and surfs “MyFace” for a little social preening and even a little TLC. Also in his sights is the idealised figure of “She” – the perfect woman – whom he expects to hunt down online but is surprised to find working in the real world as a barista at his local coffee shop. In a series of increasingly desperate and clutzy encounters, he manages to make a real-life connection with a famous sportswriter who then, in turn, is desired by “She”, thereby completing the frustrating love-triangle. There is also a narrator who links the episodes together.

Told in a distinctive physical style, the most striking thing about Tale on Fire’s new show is its charming use of a few simple symbolic techniques. In an overwhelmingly beige colour-scheme, emails are represented by brightly coloured silken ribbons, which zip back and forth between characters. There’s also a well-cool jive dancing scene. Where it falls short is perhaps in somewhat two-dimensional characterisation. Overall, though, a genuinely inventive piece of theatre.