The more the merrier

A new British TV show is challenging that old adage, ‘two’s company, three’s a crowd’.

According to Trigonometry, three could be the magic number, as it explores a couple embarking on a polyamorous relationship with their lodger.

“You see two characters, Gemma and Kieran, who have been together for a long time and they’ve gotten to a point in their relationship where they’re becoming quite comfortable. There’s a routine going on that isn’t very sexy. They’re working at different times and they’re like passing ships in the night,” actress Thalissa Teixeira said.

“When they meet Ray, they fall in love with her – but then they also fall in love with each other again through seeing each other fall in love with her, so they can open themselves up to each other more.”

Teixeira plays Gemma, one of the most refreshing characters she’d come across in a long time.

“I had to play Gemma. After my audition I actually wrote a letter to the director because

I’d never seen a character on screen, especially a woman, who didn’t know what she wanted and didn’t have a clue. And for the male in the relationship to be the more steady-headed one,” she said.

In the show, the couple aren’t looking for a polyamorous relationship or seeking out a third person. But it happens naturally in a way that Teixeira says refreshes their relationship.

“It isn’t just about two people who are falling in love with someone new, it’s about rediscovering your boundaries. How truthful you can actually be with your partner, and how much you’re willing to risk with someone you’ve been with for seven years,” Teixeira said.

What it all comes down to really, is love.

“It shows an unconventional relationship, or a relationship that’s quite new, but I think that there’s actually something quite ancient in the way that it’s being expressed,” she said.

“Love has been in so many different forms throughout the centuries. And this doesn’t feel like a new thing, it actually feels like a sort of timeless ancient idea of love that can take whatever form it needs, which is just really good.”

Trigonometry, Friday, August 21, 10.25pm, SBS Viceland and streaming, SBS On Demand