This sleight but charming seasonal musical, which trades on New York movie rom-coms, has already extended its run into January.
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan's show is a warm hug for winter, with bittersweet comic exchanges, some memorable songs, and two winning performances from Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift.
Two Strangers.. is a two-handed transatlantic entanglement; he's Dougal the puppyishly upbeat Brit over in the Big Apple for 36 hours for his estranged father's wedding, she's Robin, the world-weary Barista in the throes of a quarter-life crisis, and the sister of the bride - which turns out to be complicated.
After colliding at the airport this mis-matched romantic and cynic cross New York to fetch the titular cake, and in true movie style, start to rub off on each other. She's badly in need of a dose of his optimism, while he's in line for a wake up call about the idealised Dad who pushed off before he was born.
They finally bond on a credit-card bashing wild night on the town, but will they or won't they?
Soutra Gilmour's revolving set of piled high suitcases, which pop out to become hotel beds and restaurant tables, supplies movement to a two-hander, which is a little slow to get going, has a first half that could do with tightening, and some second half plot holes.
Tutty, who won the Olivier Award as the West End's Evan Hansen, is intentionally irritating as open-faced Dougal, excitably singing about a New York! he knows from Home Alone.
He has less to get his teeth into than Gift, but absolutely nails the poignancy of Act II's About To Go In - a lengthy, patter-ish voice note to the mum who raised him, while wearing the too-small suit bought for his GCSEs.
Gift (Hamilton, Motown the Musical) nails everything; the accent, the comic timing, the soaring balladry of This is The Place and This Year, and Robin's heartbroken vulnerability.
There are musical nods to Sinatra and saccharine Christmas songs as Buchan and Barne play around with the rom com, while never being either sentimental or cynical - ensuring that audiences can have their cake and eat it.
Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York runs at Kiln Theatre until January 20.
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