Douglas Maxwell's sparky romantic comedy Inexperience at Pitlochry Festival theatre is built on a clever conceit: a sexually charged relationship sustained without physical contact. This improbable idea hits home on two levels, as the play explores messy relationships with humor and superb acting.
The plot: a no-touch deal
Meeting at a 21st birthday party in 1995, two students—one studying law, the other media studies—agree to maintain erotic anticipation by never touching. If they ever do, the relationship ends. The play follows them then and now, played by two sets of actors. Robin Chilton (Alexander Tait as young, Sandy Grierson as older) keeps the deal, evolving from gawky to ascetic, becoming a chief sheriff officer. Iris Rossi (Sophie Fortune young, Adura Onashile older) forgets the arrangement, becoming a chaotic art writer. A chance encounter in court rekindles their dynamic.
Philosophical questions and theatrical game
The no-touch rule allows Maxwell to ask: Is deferred gratification better than abandon? Is self-denial safer than instinct? As Iris says, without experience you can have no wisdom. On a physical level, the conceit introduces a theatrical game. In Sally Reid's production, with movement director Vicki Manderson, actors weave around Jessica Worrall's elegant set with cat-and-mouse precision, coming close but never touching—until they inevitably do, providing an irrefutable answer that swells the heart.
Generational divide and messy humanity
Maxwell wittily dramatizes the generational divide as Tait and Fortune play young characters trying to keep adults on track. The play is funny, moving, and messily human. Runs until 4 July at Pitlochry Festival theatre.
