Blink: Love from a Shaky Start

0:00On March 6, Phil Porter's award-winning play Blink from 2012 is getting fresh attention and a sharp new production. It's a rom-com twist on voyeurism and stalking, centering on two grieving strangers in East London. Jonah, a shy farm boy, moves into a flat owned by Sophie right after losing his mom to pancreatic cancer. She just buried her dad from the same illness and lost her job caring for him. Both are lost and lonely, sparking an odd connection. Jonah gets a baby monitor that streams video from Sophie's living room upstairs, so he starts watching her routines. She spots him feeding a fox in their garden, hinting at a world hooked on observing instead of talking. The story flips when Jonah follows her and sees her her badly in a car crash, changing their dynamic forever. We feel uneasy about his creeping, but pity his awkwardness, while Sophie seems to welcome the weird bond despite her own intimacy fears. Strong acting from Joe Pits as Jonah and Abigail Thorn as Sophie brings attention alive.

1:04Director Simon Paris keeps it tight, boosted by smart video work from Matt Powell that amps up the spying vibes. In the end, Blink leaves you wondering if two isolated souls can forge real love from such a shaky start.