I love Neil LaBute because his text is unrelenting. An awkward beat, actor, lighting cue and all the greatnesses dissipates like an exhale. Thankfully, Profile's premiere of this piece stood its' own against the text. In reasons to be pretty, LaBute paints beauty as the mirage that keeps us staring while exploring the huge aftermath that can be caused by a tiny comment. LaBute speaks the mind of a hopeful women with crystal clarity while building a tetris of four, complicated, astute human characters.
The play recounts the unraveling of a relationship after an offhand comment is relayed. Greg and Steph have been living together for a few years. One tipsy night, he makes an off-hand, off-color comment on his girlfriend's face to his friend Kent.
Kent tells his wife Carly.
Carly tells Steph.
Steph leaves Greg.
And So It Goes.
The players
Darrell W. Cox (Greg) gave a strong, clean presentation of a relatable central character. He crafted a quality character and consistently maintained that with every shrug, gesture, and line.
Darci Nalepa (Steph) entered with explosive energy that set a perfect pace that was noticable in her absence. Her character was one that grew and changed over the course of the play, and she wholly fullfilled the wide spectrum of emotion the role demanded.
Christian Stolte (Kent) was the perfect picture of a bully grown-up. His performance was more skilled in itself than in relating to the other characters. [Sidenote: he was recently seen on the The Chicago Code!]
Somer Benson's (Carly) performance was too pointed & pronounced. She lacked sublteties & her physicality seemed too contrived. She did have moments of being perfectly poignant on on-target with emotional effect, but these moments punctuated a lackluster performance.
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