Forgettable romcom with an irritating title: Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, at the Harold Pinter Theatre, reviewed

A romcom with an irritating title, Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, has opened at the HP Theatre starring Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner. Telly addicts will recognise their names. They play two London yuppies, Oliver and Bernadette, who are struggling to communicate properly. Out of nowhere, the state imposes a gruesome new ‘Hush Law’ that forbids citizens from uttering more than 140 words a day.

All kinds of questions arise. Why was the Big Hush introduced? Whose interest does it serve? How is it policed? By overstepping your quota of natter, are you committing a civil or a criminal offence? Why can’t you rely on texts, emails, sign language, Morse Code or semaphore? What about smoke signals? Oliver is a jingle writer so he’s barely affected by the new prohibition but Bernadette works as a lawyer and it’s unclear how she practises without the power of speech.