Lily Lindon’s play, ROM.com, is at once charming and quirky, never short of giggles and full of life, love, and wit. I was very keen to see this ADC late as, being described as “Tinder meets World of Warcraft,” I was interested to see how the show handled ideas about online worlds and relationships in our increasingly tech-dominated lives. I could not have been more pleased with this endearing and funny production.

The stage is split between the two bedrooms of the protagonists, Julie and Ian, who, when they’re not taking out the recycling, spend most of their time on ROM.com, where their online personas Mary_Beard and Magikian (pronounced Magik-Ian) inhabit a fantasy world that’s almost too good to leave.

A large projection at the back of the stage shows us the computer screens of the main characters and gives us an hilarious insight into their online world. Demonstrating some classic tropes of RPGs and nods to well-known fantasy games, the opening video introduces us to this fun and unusual story.

“The play can be seen as a study of our modern way of life: the difficulties of balancing an online reality with the ‘real world’”

Matilda Wickham and Benedict Clarke do a wonderful job of bringing this heart-warming story of mistaken identity to the stage. They are supported by Noah Geelan and Maya Yousif, who successfully push forward the story without ever seeming contrived or forced. As the relationships between the characters both online and offline begin to deteriorate, the protagonists are faced with a big question; is the world they have created on the internet any less meaningful than the reality of their lives?

The play can be seen as a study of our modern way of life: the difficulties of balancing an online reality with the ‘real world’ and the pit-falls facing romance in the age of technology. That said, the script acknowledges these themes without taking itself too seriously, and maintains its lightness and humour throughout. The play’s main success is in not patronising the audience with the jaded and cynical argument that ‘technology is ruining our social interactions’ – here is an example of a fundamentally wholesome and good relationship emerging from online interaction, albeit one with a few stumbles along the way.

There were a few moments of technical difficulty which the cast handled brilliantly. With it being the opening night of this very tech-heavy show, it is a very easy thing to forgive. The sound and projection design by tech-wiz Chris Lazenbatt was brilliantly innovative, and added a very distinctive flair that made both the online and offline worlds come to life.

The direction by Charlie Morrell-Brown brought all the elements of the play together in perfect balance, and the whole show was a delight to watch. This is truly an honest and considerate portrayal of a 21st century romance, and the play never talks down to its characters or the audience, instead choosing to embrace the place of technology in our lives.

The satirical and the sincere: combining the conflicting in ROM.com

All in all, ROM.com is a lovely way to spend a summer evening. It is a comedy with just enough heart and love to make you really care about the characters, and I would definitely recommend catching it if you have the chance