Strawberries in January is a heartwarming romantic comedy by French-Canadian writer Evelyne de la Chenelière that sends up rom-coms while cheekily wallowing in their clichés.
Francois, a budding screenwriter, is secretly in love with his flatmate, Sophie, but leaves her because love is so much simpler on screen. His friend Robert's love life, meanwhile, is blighted by his melancholia. Enter Sophie's friend Lea, who escapes reality by creating elaborate fantasies about other people's lives.
You can guess where it's going, but Roxana Silbert's production for Paines Plough moves along apace, helped by strong performances and a witty adaptation by Rona Munro. There's much playing with narrative structure, with repetitions and time jumps, and this apparently light fare has a meatier kick as it examines how life rarely lives up to the movies, and how we would all like to rewrite our life scripts if only we could.
Cynics will find the feelgood ending predictable, but sentimental types will be wiping away the odd tear.
The Romeo and Juliet Syndrome
Underbelly
****
The Romeo & Juliet Syndrome, by contrast, dares to have a wholly unexpected denouement. Borrowing heavily from Shakespeare, writer and director Emily Westwood creates a richly drawn parallel universe where two Puckish fairies, Gladys and Meredith (great comic turns by Annie Crawford and Letty Butler), must bring lovelorn Tabby and James together, having already worked their magic on Romeo and Juliet.
It starts out as an exuberant celebration of romance but, while stepping across boundaries of time and reality, prompts us to question the true nature of love. This is an original work that stays in the memory.
Both until 27 August. Information: Strawberries 0131 228 1404; www.traverse.co.uk. Romeo: 0870 745 3078; www.underbelly.co.uk
Strawberries in January
Traverse, Edinburgh
