A non-sexual date was my Christmas present from my very good friend, Rob. For my present he gave me an envelope with an invitation inside that stated “Nibbles and drinks followed by the Speak Easy Stage’s production of Reasons to be Pretty.”It was time for our non-sexual date on Thursday. I met Rob on the freezing cold, sleety snowy Thursday evening after work at Sibling Rivalry (now closed).
We met at the quiet bar and ordered some wine and perused the menu for some nibbles. We decided on some bites to share and settled in for an hour before the show. Excellent dishes. Never at a loss for conversation. I shared with Rob my dream of giving up work and moving to Napa to work in a winery. Soon after I mentioned this, it was pointed out to me that I would have to try and live of $15K/year. Oh well, the dream will remain just a dream for now.
Off to the theater for what we both thought would be a comedy. I am honestly not sure why we thought it was. It turned out that “Reasons to be Pretty” is a rather dark and serious play with some funny scenes. I should have read the introduction to the play, which stated “This incendiary drama from Neil LaBute (Fat Pig, The Shape of Things) asks, “How much is ‘pretty’ worth?” Sparked by one man’s offhand remark about his girlfriend’s appearance, “Reasons to be Pretty” navigates the crumbling relationships of four young friends as they come to terms with their unfulfilling lives and question the American obsession with physical beauty.”
The show was biting and sharp and really did hit hard on just how one comment can lead to destruction in a relationship. There were only four people in the whole show, which in itself was amazing to me. The show was dramatic, full of feeling, a few tears and even some physical fighting. I walked away not sure if I enjoyed the show, but knowing it did have an impact on me. I can totally understand how one simple offhand remark can destroy something once seen as special. I can imagine if I went to see the show with a bunch of girlfriends it would spark some very interesting conversation!
A fabulous Christmas present. Rob, thank you for my non-sexual date… It was full of good food, wine, fun conversation, of course you, and a dramatic ending.
