by Diana Miranda

Who needs another romance song? The question is potentially dangerous, considering that Swifties are pouring out from every crevice in London towards Wembley Stadium this weekend. But after a successful run at Brighton Fringe, Isabel Songer has no fear of bringing up the matter in her solo piece, Flat 4. Following a young woman stepping into the world of independence, this drama offers a peek into the joy and complexities we may find not in a partner, but in friendship.

The play revolves around Alex (played by Songer), a student who idealises the freedom of independent life and flat-sharing (a relatable topic, indeed). A reality check soon follows, starting with the discovery that measuring the hob’s heat using your hand isn’t the wisest move. 

Songer’s face is an open book, each expression transparent with joy, surprise or despair. On the other hand, the low-pressure vibe Alex is striving for in her young adult life is plainly captured in her cloud-patterned pyjamas and unkempt hair. It’s a charming touch giving childish vibes, which is delightfully ironic.

In the fast-paced monologue that races ahead, listening to Alex feels like chatting with a friend who’s eager to share. It can be challenging to catch up with the words, and the performance leans heavily on the text and not enough on the action onstage. Despite this, Songer’s writing is entertaining throughout, and her beautifully rhythmic spoken word passages evoke the wish for a better memory to retain some of it.

The show captures the inevitable stumbles as Alex starts making her own decisions. We witness her struggle with an undiagnosed eating disorder, insecurities triggered by manipulative men, and, most significantly, the unravelling of her life after she lets down her flatmate-turned-best friend, Bex, in a moment of need.

There’s something really refreshing in the way the play critiques the societal obsession with romantic relationships. However, for a show that promises an ode to friendship, it remains largely Alex-centric, with Bex feeling more like a supporting player. The storytelling makes us part of key moments in their friendship –from hilarious 999 calls to harrowing nights out–  but remains mostly filtered through Alex’s viewpoint. Bex’s stirring monologue, also performed by Songer, amplifies the narrative, but this moment feels like a fleeting, shooting star. 

The sound and lighting designs that occasionally flood the single-chair setting have an undeniable DIY stamp. Songer proudly embraces a fringe theatre style at The Libra Theatre Café, but these elements come across as an afterthought and sometimes feel more distracting than immersive, like during a clubbing scene’s eye-stabbing, stroboscopic lights. Although, on second thought, eye-stabbing lighting while drunk in a club is a fairly accurate setting.

At its core, Flat 4 is a heart-stirring play full of potential, and a rare, much-needed narrative to put righteously forward friendship as bonds that are as important and intricate as any other. With fine-tuned visual elements and a tighter staging, the writing shall grow into the powerful love letter it promises to deliver about soul mates outside of romantic love. 

Flat 4 runs though August 18th. 

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