What I liked
This show doesn’t shy away from discussing the difference between going after what one’s heart wants and going after what it needs. The characters realize that what they need (I won’t tell you what it is but let’s just say it involves a big discussion couples have in relationships before they decide to get married) may be more important in the long run (key word; “may”). I liked how the setting didn’t change throughout the play (because so many important life decisions do happen in bedrooms) and I loved how (spoiler alert) important the dad was even though he wasn’t even in the room. Also, I can’t stress this enough but this play felt all too familiar to me in the best way. I’ve never seen this relationship dynamic portrayed on stage before and it was refreshing and made me feel less alone.
What I didn't like
It felt like the bed became a bit of an obstacle halfway through. I wonder if having the actors sit on the bottom edge of the bed would’ve helped it be out of the way more.
My overall impression
Mad Spoiler Alert:
Not all stories have happy endings. Some of them do. If We Run is one of those stories that could end either way. The cool part about this play is that it isn’t obvious which way it’s going to end, and even though part of you does want it to have a fairytale ending another part of you secretly hopes it doesn’t. Because the latter is so much more heartbreakingly real and truthful. Matt’s writing doesn’t let the characters get away with having their heart’s desire because at the end of the day, they know that what their heart wants isn’t what will actually lead to happiness. It’s real life on-stage and it’ll probably feel eerily familiar to a relationship you’ve had yourself.
