Neil LaBute è un regista americano le cui opere approfondiscono gli aspetti più oscuri della psiche umana. Esplora frequentemente relazioni interpersonali complesse e spesso inquietanti, esponendone le motivazioni nascoste e il potenziale distruttivo. Le sue sceneggiature e opere teatrali sono caratterizzate da un crudo realismo e da un esame provocatorio della moralità, che costringe il pubblico a mettere in discussione le proprie percezioni di giusto e sbagliato. L'opera di LaBute si pone come una masterclass nello studio della natura umana, lasciando un impatto duraturo.
Belinda and Cody Phipps appear to be a typical Midwestern couple: teenage sweethearts, children, luxurious home. Typical, except that Cody is black - 'rich, black, and different', in the words of Belinda, who finds herself attracted to a former (white) classmate.
Two brothers meet on the grounds of a private psychiatric facility. Drew, has been court-confined for observation and has called his older brother, Terry, to corroborate his claim of childhood sexual abuse by a young man from many summers ago. Drew's request releases barely-hidden animosities between the two: Is he using these repressed memories to save himself while smearing the name of his brother's friend? Through pain and acknowledged betrayal, the brothers come to grips with and begin to understand the legacy of abuse, both inside and outside their family home. "There is no playwright on the planet these days who is writing better than Neil LaBute." John Lahr, The New Yorker "The most legitimately provocative and polarizing playwright at work today." David Amsden, New York Magazine
This collection includes seven short plays: FUNNY, BENCH SEAT, ALL APOLOGIES, MERGE, LONG DIVISION, ROAD TRIP, and AUTOBAHN. Be it the medium for clandestine couplings, arguments, shelter, or ultimately transportation, the automobile is perhaps the most authentically American of spaces. In AUTOBAHN, Neil LaBute's provocative collection of one-act plays set within the confines of the front seat, the playwright employs his signature plaintive insight to great effect, investigating the inchoate apprehension that surrounds the steering wheel. Each of these seven brief vignettes explore the ethos of perception and relationship -- from a make-out session gone awry to a kidnapping thinly disguised as a road trip, a reconnaissance mission involving the rescue of a Nintendo 64 to a daughter's long ride home after her release from rehab. The result is an unsettling montage that gradually reveals the scabrous force of words left unsaid while illuminating the delicate interplay between intention and morality, capturing the essence of middle America and the myriad paths which cross its surface.
Your career as a writer is blossoming, your beautiful, young fiancee is waiting to get married and rush off to Cancun by your side - so what is your natural reaction? Well, if you're a man, it's probably to get nervous and start calling up old girlfriends. And so begins a single man's odyssey through four hotel rooms, as he flies across the country in search of the perfect woman (whom he's already broken up with). In grand LaBute fashion, this by turns outrageously funny and deadly serious portrait of the artist as a young seducer casts a truthful, hilarious light on a typical young American male as he wanders through the heart of darkness that is himself. "[LaBute's] view of modern men and women is unsparing ... [He] is holding up a pitiless mirror to ourselves. We may not like what we see, but we can't deny that - if only in some dark corner of our souls - it is there." -Jacques le Sourd, The Journal News "LaBute ... continues to probe the fascinating dark side of individualism ... [His] great gift is to live in and to chronicle that murky area of not-knowing, which mankind spends much of its waking life denying." -John Lahr, The New Yorker"
Filthy Talk for Troubled Times; The Mercy Seat; Some Girl(s); This Is How It Goes; Helter Skelter; A Second of Pleasure
The collection features two short plays that explore the intricacies of relationships in crisis, blending tenderness with chilling moments. Through "A Second of Pleasure" and "Helter Skelter," the narratives offer a nuanced portrayal of the dynamics between the sexes, highlighting their conflicts and affections. This interplay creates a complex and compelling examination of love and discord, capturing the perpetual tension that exists in human connections.
A trio of brilliantly scathing plays by the renowned writer-director of In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors. With the success of his first two films, In The Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors, writer-director Neil LaBute has been hailed as a first-rate dramatic talent with a caustic wit reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick. bash--a collection of three stunning one-act plays that mark LaBute's return to the New York stage after ten years--forms a trio of unforgettable personal in Medea Redux, a woman tells of her complex and ultimately tragic relationship with her grade school English teacher; in Iphigenia in Orem, a Utah businessman confides in a stranger in a Las Vegas hotel room, confessing a most chilling crime; and in A Gaggle of Saints, a young Mormon couple separately recounts the violent events of an anniversary weekend in New York City. All three are unblinking portraits of the complexities of evil in everyday life, exhibiting LaBute's signature raw lyrical intensity."The most important playwright to emerge in a decade."-- John Lahr, The New Yorker"A transfixing evening."-- Ben Brantley, The New York Times
Everyone falls in love with his or her therapist at least a little. But what happens when the therapist not only loves you back but also acts upon it? This is the poetic account of the true story of a patient/psychiatrist relationship gone horribly wrong.
Can someone honestly love a person whom they have deceived for thirty years? This is the central question behind Wrecks , Neil LaBute's latest foray into the dark side of human nature. Meet Edward loving father, successful businessman, grieving widower. In this concise powerhouse of a play, LaBute limns the boundaries of love, exploring the limits of what society will accept versus what the heart will desire. This collection also features rarely staged short plays, including "Liars' Club," "Coax," and the never-before-seen "Falling in Like."
Exploring the harsh dynamics of gender conflict, the narrative delves into the complexities of human relationships amid a backdrop of selflessness. It questions the possibility of opportunism in a world where altruism is expected, showcasing the raw emotions and moral dilemmas faced by the characters. Through its intense dialogue and thought-provoking themes, the story challenges readers to reflect on their own values and motivations in interpersonal connections.
"After five years in New York City, Steph and Greg return to their hometown for the 20th high school reunion and to a dramatic encounter with Kent and Carly, the friends they left behind. Old secrets and new lies become increasingly difficult to hide as the evening (and the drinking) goes on."--Page 4 of cover