The play kicks off with Greg and his girlfriend, Steph, in the middle of a heated argument. She's incensed about an offhand remark he allegedly made about her face. He denies saying any such thing, but since this is a Neil LaBute play it's a certainty he did. It doesn't help matters that whatever Greg did or didn't say was spoken in confidence to his best bud, Kent, and reported back to Steph by Kent's nosy pit bull of a wife, Carly. So, Greg feels persecuted, and Steph feels betrayed, thus ending their four-year relationship. After this initial confrontation, LaBute shows the aftermath of the breakup—how it affects both Greg and Steph, as well as their friendships with Kent and Carly—and illustrates how Greg's unfortunate remark may have been the straw that finally broke the camel's back.
The first clue that LaBute is growing as a writer yet again is the introduction of Greg, who is sensitive and artsy: he reads Poe and Hawthorne on his lunch breaks. Sure, he's lazy and a coward, making him a typical LaBute protagonist in those regards, but he differs from his predecessors in that he's genuinely nice and means no one any harm. And, LaBute has heaps of compassion for Greg, who sees himself as a harmless, somewhat victimized ne'er-do-well. That's because he starts the play as a passive participant in his own life. Things happen to him, but he doesn't instigate any of them. As more things occur that are out of his control, and the need/desire for change becomes stronger, Greg grows up and takes a more active role in his life. Reason to be Pretty is a new play, so purchase your Reason to be Pretty tickets and find out how Greg’s life unfolds.
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