Bush Theatre continues its spectacular 2026 run with Tender, a thrilling, genre-bending two-hander romance that’s as sweet as it is unsettling.
Written by Eleanor Tindall (Before I Was a Bear), Tender begins as so many good love stories do: two strangers, each with their own complicated lives, colliding, not realising how much a simple exchange on a random evening will leave them forever changed and eternally intertwined.
This is arguably when the production is at its best. Ivy (played by Nadi Kemp-Sayfi) and Ash (played by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers) are two wonderfully fleshed-out romantic protagonists navigating each other for the very first time, despite unknowingly being connected by a fate much more complicated than they’ve bargained for.
Tindall’s writing does a stellar job of capturing the excitement, confusion, and compulsion of a chance infatuation, having the two characters enmeshed in a pulsating entanglement, trying to navigate their own chaotic state of being while both consciously and subconsciously grasping onto the initially fleeting moments they enjoy together.
In addition to its writing, Tender is bolstered significantly by its two leads. Amewudah-Rivers and Kemp-Sayfi are electric both together and apart, sharing an effortless chemistry that immediately sells their connection, as well as individually bringing wit, nuance and a heart-rending vulnerability to their characters. Kemp-Sayfi plays Ivy with a thoroughly compelling restlessness that makes her as frustrating and unpredictable as she is sympathetic, presenting an outwardly eager-to-please figure to those already in her life, but burdened by an inner turmoil that seems to burst out in poorly chosen words or wild, hasty actions. Amewudah-Rivers delivers a magnificent performance filled with charisma and complexity, presenting an Ash that’s more confident and assured than her counterpart, but still haunted by her recent past, desperately trying to keep a lid on her increasing sense of helplessness and foreboding. In a format that relies so heavily on the effectiveness of its leads, it’s in large part thanks to the humour, heart, and gravitas of the two actors that Tender excels.
Another sizeable part of the production’s success is its audio-visual storytelling, fuelled by an inspired creative crew. Emily Aboud makes several clever, creative directorial choices, enchanting the audience as the characters dance around one another, but also presenting poignant, powerful physical manifestations of their worlds as they come ever closer to imploding and exploding. David Doyle’s lighting is a character in itself, with every cue and colour perfectly accentuating the emotional state of the characters and providing beautiful, bespoke lighting that complements the actors in ways that other productions can sometimes neglect to. Ellie Isherwood’s sound design is dynamic and hypnotising, helping to convey both the effervescence and the eeriness of the action.
Despite having so much in its arsenal, there are some areas where Tender falters slightly. To begin with, the script, while brutally and beautifully effective, can sometimes struggle with tonal dissonance, not quite selling the transition from the romance to the more graphic or dramatic twists and turns of the show. As much as there is poetry to be found within the dialogue, there are some phrases and interactions that feel somewhat unsubtle and jarring, serving to briefly break immersion. The play also struggles with uneven pacing, slow-cooking the romance and patiently building up to a big reveal, but rushing the fallout, as it doesn’t quite balance all of the elements crashing together at the same time.
Despite its flaws, Tender deserves ample praise for being such an ambitious, yet human piece of art. It’s a breathtaking dramatic experience, fuelled by an almost magical romance, unnerving tension, a creative team on song, and two leads who keep the Bush Theatre audience on tenderhooks almost the entire duration.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
