3Some is a seemingly unique, hybrid stage play / web series telling the tale of one woman and her rather complex relationships with two men. The web series serves as a sort of sequel to the play, and makes for a very interesting dynamic for discussion, both from a marketing perspective, and as a different brand of storytelling.

While plays are not really considered the most profitable avenue in the arts, there is certainly a much greater expectation of cost in the minds of theatre goers – certainly more so than in the minds of web series watchers. The series gives greater value to fans of the play and provides audiences with that cinematic feel not found on the stage.

There is a sort of symbiotic relationship going on here. Using two mediums to tell one story lets the creators focus on what each does best, and in turn put out a better product. Of course the combination is not completely without issue. The issues are not all that different from those faced in more traditional mediums, like sequels to films. The major issue is that I – and most people on the internet – have not seen the stage play, and with the play being a few thousand miles and an ocean away it was unlikely that I was going to be able to catch it. This is where the brilliance of the relationship may shine through. Being so far away without the power of the internet and the web series version of the play I, and many others, would never have heard of the play. Now the stage play is published, and available for other theatre companies to perform all over the world.

A major goal seems to have been making the two stories self contained. Knowing that most people will not have had the opportunity to see their play the creators opted to tell most of the play’s story through flashbacks in the series. This works for the purpose of the web series – although it does occasionally feel odd because such a large portion of the show is a flashback. For fans of the play it could be a little frustrating seeing the same bits of story rehashed, but it also could be interesting to see the contents of the play told cinematically.

As a lover of visual storytelling I really appreciated the different stylistic choices that went into differentiating the flashbacks from the current time period. They are rather simple, essentially first person perspectives, and a slight glow, but it stands out distinctly from the rest of the show. Fun fact: flashbacks were directed by the play’s director Paul Linghorn. The editing and music composition was also exceptional. I was particularly taken by the song near the end of the first episode, and was surprised to learn that it was written and performed by Battlestar Galactica’s Jamie Bamber and his wife Kerry Norton. So many talented people everywhere.

Ultimately the web version has taken on a life of its own. Creator Lisa Gifford sees the two as separate entities, with the characters in the web version evolving far beyond her expectations from the play. Her writing going forward, for the time being, is with the characters in the series, and how where they go from here. A second season is having a table read in the coming weeks and hopes to shoot by year’s end.

Now I need to talk about more than just the interesting play / series dynamic because there were some absolutely wonderfully written characters in here. While 3some is a comedy, at its heart it’s a very honest story about the complexities of modern relationships. Far too often stories make characters out to be the good guy or the bad guy. While that style has its place, it rarely rings true. In 3some the characters are real, their actions aren’t based on ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ they’re based on insecurity, jealousy, temptation, regret, weakness, and alcohol.

There was a point in the series where I realized I empathized with every character in the show. They may have all hated each other at the time, and they may have all deserved it. It just felt so authentic.

You can find 3some online at http://watch3some.co.uk