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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Strategic Love Play Also see Susan's reviews of The Heart Sellers and The Inheritance, Part One
Director Matthew Gardiner has staged this clever two-hander in a claustrophobic restaurant room (designed by Paige Hathaway) with a single table for two, surrounded by walls painted an intimidating shade of rust. Andrew Cissna's lighting design adds to the underlying tension with fluorescent orange tube lights mounted on the walls and mirrors at the edges of the doorways on either side, as well as an overhead light fixture above the table. In this stark setting, two people identified simply as Man (Danny Gavigan) and Woman (Bligh Voth) meet for their first date after making contact through a dating app. While the play runs only about 70 minutes, the tone shifts constantly from hopeful to combative, from flirting to frustration, well orchestrated by Gardiner and ably embodied by the flexibility of the actors. The interaction begins with Woman dominating the situation, taking up space at the table in her off-the-shoulder sweater and jeans, with hair almost the same shade as the walls. Voth shows how Woman is instantly in control, keeping Man (casually dressed with a neatly trimmed beard) in a defensive position and offhandedly insulting him while trying to force a negotiation. Of course, Gavigan shows that Man is no pushover when he responds. Kathleen Geldard's costume designs crystallize the ways Woman and Man see themselves and the messages they are trying to send. Battye is specifically looking at whether the process of interpersonal communication has become more difficult, or even impossible, in an increasingly automated society. It seems as though any kind of personal interaction has to operate through an online portal, from setting up dates (and calling a friend for support while the other person is getting a refill at the bar) to arriving at the date on a bicycle rented through an app. Strategic Love Play runs through November 9, 2025, at Signature Theatre, ARK Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington VA. For tickets and information, please call 703-820-9771 or visit www.SigTheatre.org. By Miriam Battye Cast: |
