by Laura Kressly

Zara is a fiercely intelligent sex worker who runs an Edinburgh brothel as part of a non-hierarchical cooperative. The canny business woman doesn’t seem like she’s rattled by much, until a new client turns out to be one of her former teachers. On top if this, her colleague that he requested is running late due to childcare issues. The dark comedy by Kieran Hurley examines a tangled web of contemporary issues, particularly capitalism, parenting and familial relationships, work, and aging.

Zara (Dani Heron) is a quintessential millennial who was told that working hard would guarantee her success and happiness. Since her client Ian (Conleth Hill) was the teacher that encouraged her to go to uni, she accuses him of preparing her for a world that doesn’t exist whilst trying to put him at ease in advance of his session. Anders Hayward is Jay, Zara’s petulant co-worker who is struggling to cope with co-parenting and changes in his pay, so takes out his frustrations on Zara. All three characters readily distance themselves from each other and eagerly apportion blame. They also all have conflicting wants; Jay and Zara need Ian’s money, but also want him to leave. Ian’s unsure about the whole thing and pendulum swings between desire and regret.

This results in crackling moments of tension as well as cutting social commentary. Their dialogue is underpinned with resentment, which gives the play a sharp edge that walks the fine line between viciousness and snark. The latter is often deliciously funny, with some slapstick thrown in for good measure. Hurley also throws in some surprises that both raise the stakes and bring the characters together – this makes the play highly sophisticated as well as satisfying.

The actors have immensely watchable chemistry that particularly glistens in their more vulnerable moments. Its in these that there’s some radical solidarity. As much as this is a play that relies on the characters’ differences to create dramatic conflict, its potent impact lies in moments where they find common ground.

Adults runs through 27 August.

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