DO you remember the first moment when you chanced your heart and opened it up for love?

Beginning takes a touching look at the first fragile moments of risking your heart and taking a chance on a new relationship.

Many would entirely empathise with Laura and Danny, the two characters in David Eldridge’s critically-acclaimed play as they both begin to open up to one another following a late-night house party.

Beginning received its world premiere at the National Theatre in 2017 before transferring to the West End.

This new revival is on at the Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday (October 2) in a new production starring Amanda Ryan and Simon Darwen after opening at the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch.

It’s the early hours of the morning and Danny is the last straggler at Laura’s party. The flat’s in a mess and so are they.

Laura is 38, single, childless and with no immediate family; Danny is 42, divorced, living with his mother and hasn’t seen his daughter for a number of years.

Beginning charts the touching journey as Laura and Danny begin to open up to each other and share just where they are in their lives.

The play is directed by Joe Lichtenstein and has good performances by both actors. Their handling of the seduction scene is one of the funniest and most sensitive you’ll ever see on stage.

But at times, this expertly scripted rom-com is almost painful to watch. Laura wants a baby and Danny has been single for so long he's afraid of commitment and having his heart broken.

The audience is slowly drawn into a 'will they-won't they' scenario of whether they will actually get together at the end of the evening.

I won't give the end away, but it's well worth the wait.

John Baker