What I liked
The script felt very conversational which was refreshing. Dee Dee Stephens, as “Michelle”, was a standout, delivering a performance filled with the lived-in frustrations of watching the same person doing the same wrong thing over and over again. I’d watch her read the phone book. The staging was simple but inventive, making the use of a spare stage and few set pieces.
What I didn't like
Why does this story need to be told? It’s 2019. Do we really need another showcase for this notion that gay men are only after straight men for their bodies? The tacked on attempt at empathy for “Austen” at the end felt forced, particularly when we’ve watched an entire show about two terrible people trying to ‘get one over’ on a terrible man. As a gay man who has had to deal with misconceptions his entire life, I found the play (while executed deftly) mildly offensive.
My overall impression
A well-written, well-staged tale of what we’ll do to get what we want, mired by its tired, outdated, and ridiculous notion that gay men are predators who only want to seduce younger straight men.
