Love and Information review

Caryl Churchill’s 2012 play Love and Information presents over 50 brief, disconnected scenes and more than 100 characters, all exploring how people absorb knowledge, communicate, and try to connect in a noisy world. Each becomes a snapshot of human interaction and emotion. In this 2025 production, director Belle Hansen embraces this chaos with a clever, considered approach that honours the fragmented structure while injecting moments of surprise and style.

Harry Gill’s set design is particularly inventive, featuring a revolving circular platform divided into three segments, allowing for swift transitions and playful staging. It gives the cast lots to work with and keeps the audience on their toes. The multiple entry and exits points along with the versatility in how the stage is used and locations are established, serve to stave off monotony and give scenes some delightful flair thanks to Hansen’s direction.

Jack Burmeister’s sound design and original compositions are a standout. He weaves a subtle through-line into the score, giving scenes their own identity while maintaining a cohesive thread that holds this together. It demands our attention but never impedes the performances. Sidney Younger’s lighting complements this beautifully, painting each moment with a unique atmosphere - from the soft amber of a sunset to brash, pulsing pinks in a dance scene, and stark spotlights that land with effective precision.

The ensemble moves seamlessly through a carousel of characters and dynamics. With so many pairings, especially as there are no gendered roles, and varied tonal shifts, cohesion could easily crumble, but the cast stays locked in. Junghwi Jo and Felix Star are particular highlights, bringing great clarity and conviction to their performances.

Nonetheless, a key issue remains: for all its cleverness, Love and Information leaves you cold. The sheer volume of scenes, characters, and half-formed narratives creates a numbing effect. Just as you begin to invest, the scene ends and a new one takes its place. Most vignettes arrive without context and vanish before meaning can settle in.

There are flashes that cut through that display fleeting glimpses of intimacy, humour, and heartbreak. Perhaps that’s the point. Churchill’s script isn’t interested in traditional arcs or emotional payoff. It’s more concerned with how we interact through the constant noise, missed connections, and overload.

Still, I couldn’t help but wish for fewer scenes and deeper dives. A handful of these stories cry out for expansion and room to grow. But to do that would be to present a different play. In the end, Love and Information lives up to its name - there’s plenty of both. Whether that feels exhilarating or exhausting depends on how much you’re willing to surrender to the whirlwind.

Show Details

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St. Kilda
Season: until 14 June | 7:30pm Tues - Sat
Duration: 105 minutes
Tickets: $59 Full | $52 Concession
Bookings: Theatre Works

Image credit: Steven Mitchell Wright