It is so easy to fall in love WITH Bury St Edmunds. But falling in love IN Bury can have its challenges.The gorgeous town was the setting for a quite remarkable drama experience – to call It simply a play cannot do justice to the Theatre Royal’s latest in-house show. ‘Steve and Steff Forever’ is a beautifully charming rom com presented as a promenade performance around the streets of Suffolk’s pride and joy. But this is a prom like no other. The town itself becomes a major character in what is technically a two-hander. The audience is led around the pretty streets by a very efficient band of theatre volunteers and at various points, we stop, and the next part of the drama unfolds.

The story is delightfully simple – a chance meeting between a shy, socially awkward guy, Steve and a vivacious, confident, but wayward woman called Steff. They meet, as we the audience do, at an outdoor café and we watch on, and listen through headphones, as the first steps on what will be a bumpy ride of an affair take hold. Steve is in the café waiting for a blind date, Steff is a waitress who spots this nervously reluctant Romeo and moves in before his date arrives. We then follow their journey as they inevitably but awkwardly fall in love. This happens outside the Abbeygate Cinema, inside a shop window, out in a courtyard – and other spots in central Bury. Each stop takes us further into Steve and Steff’s relationship – he is overcoming his gauche mummy’s boy personality, she is finding that the wild child act, what she calls ‘a bubble on the wind’ starts to wear thin. It is a journey of self-discovery for both.

Ian Jarvis has written a script full of sharp and funny one-liners, lots of local Bury references and has created two very believable characters – ones you quickly get to care about. Owen Calvert-Lyons deserves many more than three cheers for his inspirational direction. There was something almost magical in the way that as we reached our next stopping point, the two actors were there ready in a new costume. That was very clever, and all done without body doubles! It was Calvert-Lyons’ concept to use Bury as the centerpiece of this ever-entertaining drama. It was a celebration of the place itself as much as a love story about people. Between scenes we heard a really engaging playlist of songs which meant the dramatic tension of the piece never lagged.

Anna Soden caught the character of Steff with laser precision. Besides being an actor, Soden is also a comedian, and you can tell – her comic timing was meticulous. And she totally caught the restless energy, almost childlike playfulness but underlying insecurity of her character. It was a life affirming performance. Joshua Diffley provided a perfect foil as Steve. Though in his mid 30s, Steve is hounded by his over-protected mum (heard through our headphones leaving messages for her hapless son). She wants him hitched but only to the right sort of gal. Diffey’s portrayal of diffidence and increasing frustration with Steff gave the piece some dramatic ballast that took the play well beyond mere entertainment.

The pair created a really satisfying but sometimes shaky bond which develops as we processed through the streets. There was the inevitable ‘will they, won’t they’ get and stay together and I won’t spoil the ending for you except to say it brought genuine tears to my old pair of eyes.

This was a really ambitious show which shone in every department. It is an unqualified success and a credit to the Theatre Royal’s ability to take and overcome risks. Even the weather was kind to the production. It was so easy to fall in love with this joyous show.

The play runs until the 30 August. www.theatreroyal.org

Photo credits: Fiona Scott Dan Cole Media