Lonely Hearts, The Knotted Project, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

Natalie Morrell and Simon McElligott are consummate young professionals in the art of physical theatre.

As The Knotted Project, they staged Lonely Hearts, the perfect platform for their skills and inventiveness as both performers and writers.

They gave a seamless and polished performance as loveable loners Anna and Callum who register with Mr and Mrs Perfect.com, an online dating agency.

The pitfalls of using the internet to find love are laid bare as they search for their special someone in virtual chat rooms.

I guess a dating agency is not the most original idea from which to build but the way they threaded Anna and Callum and their other quirky characters in and out of the story, using as props just a costume-laden clothes rail on wheels and two chairs, felt fresh and totally captivating.

Their characterisation of dotcom outfit representatives Nadia and Shane was terrific and beautifully over the top.

Simon was absolutely hilarious portraying Aussie Shane, draped in patterned kimono-style wrap; Natalie as glam-puss Nadia, sporting fur coat and sunglasses, equally so.

On Anna and Callum's heartfelt journey we met other humans of various fanciful states such as George Michael-obsessed Carol and wild, night clubber Gary, all played by Natalie and Simon, of course.

They made the ordinary, extraordinary.

The story arc of our lovelorn duo was draughtsman-like drawn. No one measures up as their ideal partners - until Anna and Callum themselves finally come face to face. Tentatively at first, they hit it off and we think it's a match made in heaven.

Anna dons her best red frock and Callum puts on a clean shirt and the pair are prepared for their first romantic meal together.

The twist comes when Callum's two hours late and drama descends, emotions explode. Anna's beside herself with anguish. She says Callum's let her down big time after she trusted him so much.

Natalie and Simon have talent and charm by the bucket loads and I was totally absorbed by the hour long show that could stand up on its own at any theatre in the UK.

To start the evening we were treated to an very impressive ten minute show put together by the Brewery's Physical Performance 14-plus group, who showed plenty of ability and promise in their own piece Pineapple.

Lonely Hearts was one of the best and most inventive shows I've seen for a while.

To sum up, I'll leave it to the young voice I overheard when I was leaving the theatre, who said, "How cool was that!"

Precisely.

Adrian Mullen