Neil Labute is often accused of being misogynist in his work, but in Some Girl(s), it is the only male character onstage who gets the unflattering portrayal.
Michael Scott King, also one of the executive producers and co-founders of Nunya Productions, plays Guy, a successful writer who is about to get married and who goes on a journey through his past, visiting the ex-girlfriends who he feels he’s wronged. It’s unclear what his real aim is, one would think it would be to apologize, but there’s something more insidious going on. Guy visits 5 women in the course of the play, all but one of whom have male names- Sam (Rebecca De Ornelas), his high school sweetheart, Tyler (Betty Kaplan), a very sexual old flame, Lindsay (Jody Lynn Flynn), a married college professor, Bobbi (Robin Singer), possibly the real love of his life, and Reggie (Mariya King), a friend’s sister. The play consists of Guy saying incredibly douchey things to women, but as he slowly starts to realize that about himself, like a literal douche, things begin feel cleaner after his unusual exorcism.
The acting here is great across the board, despite the major handicap of most of the cast being approximately 10 years too young to realistically portray their characters. But once one gets past that mental stumbling block, the play really comes to life.
LaBute’s script has bite and zest, and is newly revised. This new version of the play is having its first airing here, and is reportedly set to return to Broadway/off Broadway in this form within a year; a new scene and character added from the previous version brings the story and themes of emotional hurt home in a startling new way.
The play also acts as a benefit for the charity To Write Love on Her Arms; 80% of proceeds are donated to the charity.
Some Girl(s) by Neil LaBute
Directed by Roger Del Pozo
Presented by Nunya Productions
http://nunyaproductions.com/
Sargent Theater at the American Theater of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, 4th Floor, through December 17, 2011.
Performances are Wednesdays through Sundays at 8PM.
Tickets are $30 (with the option to donate more to To Write Love on Her Arms) and can be purchased at smarttix.com or by calling 212.868.444.
