City Garage presents a new play by Neil LaBute “If I Needed Someone”

Neil LaBute’s new two-hander play drops us right into a date-in-progress. The pair have drunkenly staggered back to one of the couple’s place to hang out after a night of drinking. “I’m not staying!” the woman (Jules, played by Devin Davis-Lorton) declares right off the bat. Jim (played by Adam Langsam) affirms, “Okay.” “Just so you know,” she explains. “That’s cool,” he replies, keeping things light. A moment of confusion then Jules adds, “Wait! Sorry! I forgot…this is my place. Ha! I must really be drunk… ” Yes, Jules is spectacularly drunk and merry. And so is Jim, but maybe not quite as drunk as she appears to be. Is he hoping to get lucky? Probably not, because she keeps insisting this is not going to be a sleep-over hookup.

If I Needed Someone expertly navigates the tricky terrain of modern-day dating IRL (in real life). You don’t get the sense that these two connected virtually via a dating site or app, and conversed or shared any personal details, likes or dislikes. There’s little impression that they might have met before this night of drinking. So it all feels very new.

They continue drinking (a six-pack of beers was purchased on the way home) and the conversation mostly seems to be about establishing clear boundaries of a potentially sexual relationship that is maybe just beginning.

What ensues is a mostly painful and prickly yet shrewdly observed tango; more a delicate dance than a battle of the sexes. LaBute’s observations are so acute, it is uncomfortable to watch this repartée all unfold. The playwright highlights the perilous pitfalls of modern dating, the difficulties of balancing expectations with the inclusion of consent. Jules’ emotions are like quicksilver, challenging his assumptions then revealing insecurities in an instant.

One of the toughest aspects of a two-hander play that involves (mild) conflict is that the door is right there. Why doesn’t one character just leave when the going gets tough? Sure enough, quite a few times during the real-time, 90-minute one-act play Jim does sense he’s overstayed his welcome, and heads towards the door mouthing his goodbyes. But Jules manages to talk him out of a hasty departure even if things keep getting awkward and combative. Like I said, it’s all so precisely and honestly observed that the dialogue is painful and squirm-inducing. At some stage you’re wondering what does Jules want? LaBute assumes she has the upper hand, which is typically the case until things get violent. (Mercifully, this play is not about sexual violence.) That desire question gets resolved during the play’s bittersweet and tender finale.

Performances here are fantastic. The cast acquit themselves extremely well, conveying a lot of subtle nuances (and not-so-subtle declarations). Director Frédérique Michel does an excellent job with the material, keeping the play’s pace lively, intriguing and electric. There’s a brisk and bracing honesty to LaBute’s writing that advances towards a poised (perhaps open-ended) yet satisfying conclusion. Just under four weeks remain to catch this theatrical world premiere. Recommended.

If I Needed Someone

by Neil LaBute

Directed by Frédérique Michel

Producer/Production Designer:  Charles A. Duncombe

Performances:  Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 8:00pm;  Sundays 4:00pm

Runs through: Sunday, September 22nd, 2024

Tickets:   General Admission $30; Students/Seniors w/ID $25

Thursdays, “Two-for-One” and Sundays, “Pay-What-You-Can” at the door only (or full price for advance reservations)

Box Office/Information:  (310) 453-9939     www.citygarage.org

Performance Address:  City Garage 2525 Michigan Ave. Building T1, Santa Monica, Ca. 90404

Directions:   City Garage is located at Bergamot Station Arts Center. Take the 10 West to Cloverfield Exit.  Turn right (north) on Cloverfield to Michigan Ave. Right on Michigan (east) to the end of the street and enter the main gate to Bergamot. Building T1 is at the west end of the parking lot across from the Metro station.