‘10 First Dates’: Dark Comedy About Midlife Dating Premieres at Camden’s Women’s Writers Festival

Editor 09/03/202609/03/2026 0 Comments 10 First Dates, London, Theatre

A sharp and darkly comic new play exploring the chaos of modern dating will make its debut this March as 10 First Dates, written by Christine Rose, premieres at the Etcetera Theatre from 20 to 24 March 2026 as part of the Camden Women’s Writers Festival.

Blending humour with uncomfortable truths about contemporary relationships, the 60-minute two-hander follows Maggie, a woman unexpectedly thrust back into the dating world after the collapse of her 25-year marriage. What she discovers is a landscape radically transformed by technology, social media and an entirely new language of romance.

For Maggie, dating once meant chance meetings and shared social circles. Now it involves swiping through profiles and navigating unfamiliar terminology such as ghosting, breadcrumbing and love bombing. For a generation who found their partners long before smartphones became part of everyday life, the search for connection can feel more like an experiment than a romantic adventure.

At the centre of the story is Maggie’s attempt to rebuild her life — and perhaps rediscover herself — through a sequence of ten first dates that range from awkwardly comic to quietly disturbing.

The production stars Laura Shipler Chico as Maggie, charting the character’s emotional journey from tentative optimism to hard-earned confidence. Opposite her, Mark Parsons takes on the ambitious task of portraying all ten of Maggie’s potential partners, transforming rapidly between personalities that include everything from the self-assured narcissist to a manipulative self-help guru.

These quick-fire character changes give the play a dynamic rhythm, while also highlighting the shifting power dynamics of each encounter.

Directed by Jamie Saul, the production makes full use of the intimate setting at Etcetera Theatre. The close proximity between performers and audience heightens both the humour and the tension, allowing each date to unfold with immediacy and emotional clarity.

Through its mix of satire and honesty, 10 First Dates captures the strange, sometimes exhausting reality of midlife dating. Yet beneath the comedy lies a deeper story about resilience, self-discovery and the possibility of starting again when life takes an unexpected turn.

Funny, awkward and painfully recognisable, Christine Rose’s new play offers a candid look at modern romance for those navigating love the second time around.