A thoughtful display of human interaction and the complexities of modern romance.
Reasons to be Pretty, produced by The Space Between Theatre Company, offers a nuanced glimpse into the worlds of two couples whose relationships are upended by miscommunication. Cycling through moments of comedy, contemplation, and critique, its rumination on how one perceives themself resonates long after the lights go down.
Reasons to be Pretty is written by Neil LaBute and explores the breakdown of two relationships: that of Greg (Kieren Gregory) and Steph (Izabella Louk), and Kent (Mark Barry) and Carly (Emily Crow). Greg and Steph’s relationship is derailed by a comment from Greg about Steph’s looks. Kent and Carly’s is marred by infidelity. These actions force the characters to evaluate their connection to one another and reconsider who they really are.
Kieren Gregory plays Greg as something of an everyman, unsure of how to mend his relationship with Steph whilst being torn between supporting Kent and being honest with Carly. This indecisiveness comes through in a large portion of Gregory’s performance. He often plays Greg with reservation, pensively thinking over every word he says. This is present even in Greg’s fights with Steph; despite his projection, Gregory’s character still appears somewhat distant. Such reservation captures the character well but risks being misinterpreted as indecisiveness on Gregory’s part. Fortunately, Gregory starkly transitions from this later in the play.
By contrast, Barry’s performance is verbose and aggressive throughout. He plays Kent with a ferocity that makes his jokes more comical, his masculinity more toxic, and his downfall the most impactful. Barry’s Kent offers a much-needed point of difference to Greg and is a real stand-out.
Louk and Crow do well with what the script gives them. Louk overcomes a shouty introduction to put on a good performance of a character rediscovering herself. Despite lacking some energy at points, it is worth noting she drew the biggest laugh of the night. Eventually Crow manages to establish Carly as someone more than just Barry’s partner. But both performers are short-changed by LaBute. The arcs of their characters move inconsistently to those of Greg and Kent, with their dialogue sometimes offering little by way of exposition or plot points. This is particularly so for Crow, who has to meander through her character’s boring dialogue for far too long before becoming important. It’s a real shame that these two talented performers are not allowed to do more.
Production elements are sparse and offer mixed benefits. Director Jesse Donaldsen-Jarrett plays well with shadows through his lighting design, and his decision to break the fourth wall is entertaining. But, his use of Flow Studio 88’s large space can make the action feel distant. This is especially when his actors perform on a balcony, forcing the audience to crane their necks, and occasionally when the actors are in front of the audience but separated from each other by quite a few metres. Making the stagecraft more compact may sacrifice some visibility, but would go ways to emphasise the tension between the characters.
Overall, Reasons to be Pretty is a clever show. Its cast is engaging and its storytelling intriguing. Though its season is short, it is well worth checking out.
