Love Letters To The Public Transport System: A Monologue Of Life From Inside A Bus – Adelaide Fringe Review

Holden Street Theatres, The Studio, Wed 14 Feb. [THEATRE – UK] Valentine’s Day. Seems appropriate to see a play called Love Letters. Wait – it’s actually called Love Letters To The Public Transport System!! People don’t do that do they? Complaints, yes. Love letters? It seems every institution knows how to deal with complaints, but try get a compliment through to the person for whom it is intended and you are met with confusion and apologetic official letters. But Molly Taylor is not one to give up. This hour long monologue begins with the author’s love life in tatters in Glasgow. It is not immediately clear what any of this has to do with the public transport system, until a trip to London lands her a new job and a new love on the same momentous day. Reflecting on her good fortune, she stops to consider people who have contributed to it. Molly does not drive, and has had to rely on a number of transport drivers to get her all the way to Brixton. There are two Mollys in this performance. Molly the writer peppers the script with phrases like ‘graveyard of memories’ to describe Glasgow. She riffs on the various dictionary meanings of transport – transported – carried physically from point A to B, moved psychologically to feelings of great joy etc. Molly the actor has presented this piece before, so there are no first night nerves. With the barest of props – a train seat and a rubbish bin full of used train tickets and other passenger detritus, Molly gleefully relates her story to the audience as if chatting to a good friend. Molly’s faltering quest to contact every driver who has contributed to her good fortune would not hold an audience for an hour on its own, so she enlivens it with characters she has met on public transport. Love Letters is warm, engaging and amusing. It will not set you alight with anger and passion to change the world. But it is imbued with a generosity of spirit which may make you stop to give thanks for the little things that brighten your day. 4 stars Adrian Miller Love Letters To The Public Transport System continues at Holden Street Theatres, The Studio, at various times, until Sun 1 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ADLfringe