Almost everyone can find some comedy in their romantic lives. Whether it's that old boyfriend that you can't believe you went out with, or the time your date shot milk out of her nose, we can all look back on our past romantic relationships and laugh.
Such is the premise of "The Ives Have It," a collection of one-act plays by David Ives which explore, often comedically, the different sides of dating. Each play has a lesson to teach the audience about love. "Sure Thing" investigates the many ways to pick up a love interest. "Seven Menus" follows the curiously intertwined dating lives of seven people. "The Philadelphia" abstractly characterizes phases in people's lives as physical places. "Long Ago and Far Away" asks us to see past the surface happiness of many relationships, while "Foreplay, or the Art of the Fugue" focuses on the shallower aspects of relationships. Finally, "The Universal Language" unites two outcasts in love.
The majority of the plays are comedies, with the exception of "Long Ago and Far Away," which varies from the other plays by exploring the difficult end of a relationship rather than the beginning. The placement of "Long Ago and Far Away" is also curious; it comes directly after the intermission and before "Foreplay, or The Art of the Fugue," which is the most comic of the group. The juxtaposition of the serious side of romance with the lighter pieces balances the performance.
The set design remains static, but adapts well to each unique scene. The exceptions are "Long Ago and Far Away" and "Foreplay, or the Art of the Fugue," which have more complex sets. Instead of allowing set changes to become dead time, the actors themselves change the props and settings and become new characters and dance while moving set pieces. "Seven Menus" involves several changes in the cast; all the actors who remain on stage use this time for valuable character transitions.
Jeben Marshall and Nate Patten steal the show with outstanding performances whenever they appear. "Sure Thing" is Marshall's best performance, while Patten stands out most in "The Universal Language." His body language and facial expressions are essential for the audience to understand the plot. Performances by Peter Farrell and Jaclyn DiLauro in "Foreplay, or the Art of the Fugue" and Beth Gervain in "The Universal Language" seem extremely comfortable in their comedic roles.
My personal favorite was "Sure Thing," because of its very creative plotline that somehow felt completely natural. It was also, along with "Foreplay," the funniest of the six presented. I did not enjoy "Seven Menus" as much, perhaps because of its pessimism about dating. It also marked the only mediocre performances by actors who were much better in other selections.
Overall, "The Ives Have It" is more than worth your time and Arts dollars. If you can get through the evening without seeing a moment in your dating history recreated onstage, you're not paying attention. If all else fails, you can laugh hysterically at the pitfalls of love.
"The Ives Have It" continues this weekend with performances the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th at 8 p.m. at Culberth Theatre.
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