Review – Gwen and John: A Melodramatic Love Story

For the cliché-loving child inside us (or beside us), Gwen and John’s love-story is typical and formulaic, which I suppose is no surprise considering it’s a melodrama for children. This fast-paced, “punny” kids show will have children rolling in the aisles, parents cringing alongside them.

The meet-cute takes place on a reality-TV cooking show where John (creator/producer Jade Thomson) and Gwen (writer/creator Amanda Pearce) compete with each other, and a predictably villainous villain, to be the top-cook on The Top Cook Top Cook Off Show. Obvious jokes battle it out with the occasional flash of clever, original writing. Whitewashed, unspecific heroes, villains and celebrity cameos test the audience’s patience, rewarding them with a surprising or re-invented melodramatic moment from time to time. Girls swoon. Goons buffoon. Predictable plot-points loom.

The creators/performers have clearly put a lot of heart into this pantomime and their energy is infectious. Parents looking for some comic-distraction for their children will certainly find it here. The suggested audience is 7-14 year olds, but anyone over the age of 12 may find the jokes and characters superficial. Jade and Amanda also offer melodrama workshops for late primary school and early secondary school students.