Written and directed by John Godber, “Do I Love You?” follows the bleak lives of three friends in their mid-twenties: Sally (Martha Godber), Kyle (Emilio Enciniso-Gil), and Natalie (Chloe McDonald), who are all struggling in a post-COVID world. To make a living, their passions and degrees have been set aside in favour of headsets and caps, marking them as fast-food drive-through workers. Despite being let down by the state of Britain in the 2020s, they are desperate to make something of their lives. Through a series of events, Northern Soul glides its way in to help them do just that.
The idle chatter predominating the first segment transported me back to a Year Eleven classroom -- thoughtless speculations about the future, accompanied by persistent denials of ‘feeling anything’ during (weed) smoking sessions. Most of the humour depended on references and repetition, seemingly pulling the nostalgia strings for many, which elicited diffuse laughter throughout the auditorium. Perhaps, since I did not match the room’s demographic, I could not catch on to most of these.
The play read like a series of monologues pieced together, consisting of more of a retelling than acting. Many times, I felt as though friends were excitedly recounting their drunk nights out to me. The set remained the same throughout, barring changes in lighting and a few small props, which made it difficult to visualise the various locations. Closer to the end, the play explored the multifaceted role of dance in people’s lives, which I found rather thought-provoking. Sally likened Northern Soul to the only honest thing in her life, having faced betrayal from friends, family, and work.
Named after the iconic Northern Soul song, “Do I Love You?” offers a glimpse into the continuing legacy of this 70s subculture, centred around working-class British Northerners grooving to American soul music. Although I did not enjoy it, much of the audience responded well. “Do I Love You?” is playing at New Vic until 24th May 2025.
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