Most fictional love stories follow a familiar formula: two people meet by chance, sparks fly, obstacles get in the way and after a few emotional twists and turns, either their love endures or it all ends in tragedy. Playwright Eleanor Tindall‘s Tender, currently playing at the Bush Theatre, seems to be heading down that well-trodden path before abruptly turning into something more unsettling. Instead of being a straightforward romance between two women, Tender introduces horror, psychological unease and supernatural overtones.
The play begins with the unforgettable image of one character standing with blood-soaked hands after claiming to have pulled her own organs from her body. From that moment on, it’s clear this is no ordinary love story. What follows is an emotionally charged production that doesn’t always hold together perfectly but remains an absorbing drama.
At first, the play’s premise appears deceptively straightforward. Ash (Francesca Amewudah-Rivers) is trying to rebuild her life in a new London flat after leaving her controlling fiancé, Cas, at the altar. Ivy (Nadi Kemp-Sayfi), meanwhile, seems content in a stable, long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Max. A chance encounter outside a bar sparks an immediate attraction between the two women, despite an initially awkward exchange. When Ash later wanders into the coffee shop where Ivy works, their hesitant conversations continue and it isn’t long before they find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another.
However, they can’t escape the past. Cas relentlessly harasses Ash, refusing to accept that their relationship is over, while Ivy begins to question whether the life she has built with Max is really the one she wants. As the relationship between Ash and Ivy deepens, reality begins to feel increasingly unstable. Disturbing visions, hidden connections and increasingly uncanny coincidences blur the line between the real and the surreal, transforming what first appeared to be a familiar love story into something far darker, stranger and more unsettling.
Tindall writes dialogue that feels authentic and the conversations between Ash and Ivy unfold with an easy, unforced rhythm, full of awkward pauses, gentle humour and the tentative excitement of two people gradually falling in love. However, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the play’s sudden shift from intimate relationship drama to symbolic, psychological and horror-inflected storytelling. The ideas themselves are intriguing but the different strands didn’t always gel and there were moments when I found myself admiring the striking imagery rather than fully understanding the story.
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers is excellent as Ash, giving her a warm, likeable charm that explains exactly why Ivy is drawn to her. At the same time, she brings a quiet determination, and flashes of vulnerability, to Ash’s struggle to move on with her life. Opposite her, Nadi Kemp-Sayfi delivers a beautifully nuanced performance, capturing the uncertainty of a woman who has spent years suppressing an important part of her identity. Their chemistry forms the emotional heart of the production and both actors make every stage of it feel believable. No matter how strange or surreal the play became, I never stopped believing in Ash and Ivy’s relationship and that emotional truth is ultimately what holds the production together.
Emily Aboud’s assured direction allows the relationship between Ash and Ivy to develop with patience and honesty before she gradually introduces the play’s darker, more unsettling elements. Rather than overplaying the horror, Aboud lets these moments grow naturally from the characters’ fears, desires and unresolved trauma. Even as the production becomes increasingly surreal, Aboud never loses sight of the relationship at its centre.
Alys Whitehead‘s production design is equally important in creating the play’s unsettling atmosphere. What initially appears to be a simple, understated space gradually reveals unexpected depths. The large yellow curtain lining the back of the stage ripples, billows, and distorts as the mood darkens, becoming a menacing visual presence in its own right. Combined with David Doyle’s expressive lighting and Ellie Isherwood’s immersive sound design, the set evolves into a physical representation of the characters’ internal turmoil.
I suspect Tender won’t be for everyone. Its refusal to provide easy answers or neatly explain its surreal imagery is likely to frustrate anyone expecting a more conventional narrative. However, I came away admiring its originality, honesty and its willingness to tell a queer love story in such an unconventional way. Even when it occasionally loses its way, Tender never stops being fascinating. Powered by two outstanding central performances and guided by assured direction and a script that constantly challenges expectations, Tender is an ambitious and absorbing piece of theatre that is well worth seeing.
NEED TO KNOW: Tender plays at the Bush Theatre until 1 Aug 2026 | See listing
