Review: The Love That I’ve Lost, The Bread & Roses Theatre 

Lambeth Fringe 2026 is up and running again! This amazing festival of performance champions new work in theatre, cabaret, musicals, family shows, stand-up and readings – whatever your thing, it’s there, somewhere. Here’s some facts: over 100 shows across 21 venues and all in the borough of Lambeth. And I had the pleasure of getting a taste of what is being offered at the pub theatre which pioneered the festival when it hosted the first one 11 years ago, The Bread & Roses Theatre.  

Morgan Clarice has written and directed her first full-length play; I always am wary of “written and directed” as an outside eye can provide constructive suggestions for improvement. That said, this one-hour piece does exactly what it says on the tin. We first meet Lillie (Harriet Spence-Reid), telling her dad on the phone how she was the bridesmaid for a friend’s marriage to the man she has been pining for – but “Dad, I’m still smiling”, but NOT, really. 

Significantly, a bunch of red roses prominently lying on the table will serve the play well, mining all the resonances that that iconic flower has in our modern emotional lives. Soon she is joined by her mother, Michelle (Amelia Dunn), though I have to say the casting made this difficult to imagine, one looks slightly older or the other looks too young for it really to work. Anyway, that aside, mum is also not a happy bunny as her husband has left her, with no contact. Then the divorce papers come through and her anguish at not understanding the reasons leads inevitably to self-esteem issues, but a bottle of wine helps, folks. What makes it worse is that she finds out her daughter knew before she did. 

Added to this generational study of love or the lack of it enters gran Betty (Nina Anderson), who has a nice line in sardonic throwaways (but Anderson is unfortunately far too quiet most of the time and lacks vocal presence). Deep down, she also finds herself alone as her husband is fading away in a nursing home. What brings them all together is the prospect of Valentine’s Day approaching and having no men in their lives to celebrate it with – the red roses, instead of being tokens of love to a special male friend or lover, become like thorns to their hearts. So, a sense of solidarity emerges: ‘Lets drown our sorrows and have a Galentine’s Day!”. I freely admit that this is a new one to me, but I got it pretty quickly; it sounds like a great concept actually, gals together having a party without the men – who needs men anyway? Er, well actually, all three do in their own ways, and that is the irony of this show.  

Does it work? It is well meaning and competently acted, but the actual storyline and characters engage for a moment and then the ball drops and the ship drifts and loses our interest. That outside director could have made the piece much tighter and more focused. It is also unclear where we are in each scene – do they all live together? Are we in another house now? When everything did finally click, after gramps’ funeral, there was a real sense of coming together and solidarity, with an improvised dance. But this was all too brief. Alas, despite a well-meaning premise and a few scenes that came alive, this piece didn’t hit the mark, the shifts and lack of focused dramatic drive made for a frustrating evening. The red rose petals were left strewn – unloved – on the floor.   

Writer & Director: Morgan Clarice 
Producer: Lacey Beaumont 
Lighting: Amelie Beaver 

The Love That I’ve Lost has concluded its run at The Bread & Roses Theatre as part of the Lambeth Fringe.