Review: Lost Girls / At Bus Stops - A Play, A Pie and A Pint 2024

Name: Lost Girls / At Bus Stops
Brand: A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Rating: 3 (1 reviews)

Lisa in the theatre
Oct 9, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jul 20

Lost Girls / At Bus Stops ★★★☆☆

Written by Róisín Sheridan Bryson | Directed by Laila Noble

A Play, A Pie and A Pint

review: Òran Mór, Glasgow | 8 October 2024

Lost Girls /At Bus Stops is a love story set during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Written by Róisín Sheridan-Bryson, this new play follows friends Jess (Catriona Faint) and Iona (Leyla Aycan) as they negotiate the bustling streets of Edinburgh city, dodging American tourists and flyerers as they search for the best shows and a good time.

The setting for the play allows for plenty of well observed one-liners about being in the midst of the world's greatest arts festival. The situations that Jess and Iona find themselves in are very relatable and very funny.

But 'Lost Girls / At Bus Stops' is primarily a story of two people going about their lives while struggling to confess their true feelings for one another. Through Jess and Iona we not only navigate the people and places of Edinburgh, but the ups and downs of modern dating and queer relationships.

Catriona Faint and Leyla Aycan in Lost Girls at bus stops, a play, a pie and a pint. Credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Expertly directed by Laila Noble, the characters use every inch of space available on the limited Oran Mor stage.

The story pivots around a central, dingy plastic bus stop, and the fun set design from Zephyr Liddell becomes a crucial yet variable focal point for the characters to work with. Lighting effects are perfectly pitched and timed to add interest and notes of humour. The whole piece has been well thought-out to deliver maximum impact from a two-hander play.

Sheridan-Bryson's playful book is brought to life with glorious comic timing from the actors alongside the satisfying use of sound effects; although there were a few occasions where the end of a sentence or the punchline of a joke was drowned-out by the unfortunate volume / timing of said sound effects.

Leyla Aycan and Catriona Faint are excellent and so very likeable as the lost girls. Faint is utterly spellbinding. She commands the stage and the energy dips every time she leaves. She is just that impactful and brilliant. A true special talent.

'Lost Girls / At Bus Stops' is a funny, sweet and entertaining lesbian love story. The production quality is ace, the actors are fab and the observational humour and sometimes shared horror of being at the Edinburgh Fringe is sure to resonate with many. ★★★☆☆