In a display of intense emotions and desperate search for human connection, The Opposite of Love delivers a tantalizing story of the path to recovery, with a twist.
Eloise (Ashley Griffin) hires gigolo Will (Evan Strand) in an attempt to get over a past sexual abuse experience. The plan is simple, Will is going to have sex with Eloise a couple of times, she is going to pay him for his services, and the transaction will be done. They live in New York. She is wealthy. He is working-class. She is book smart. He is streetwise. At first, their differences seem stark, but as the story unfolds, it is obvious that their needs are pretty much similar.
In the cinema world, movies like American Gigolo and Pretty Woman depict prostitutes in two different lights, the former more realistic, the latter more romanticized. The Opposite of Love seems to fall in between, but it has a more realistic tone in the sense that it explores a deeper need of human connection in more relatable circumstances. One of the reasons why this production works so well is Melora Marshall‘s superb direction. She shows her extraordinary ability to understand the sadness, loneliness, and misery written in the script. Breaking down the layers and depths of the characters, she then guides her actors to deliver a touching display of raw emotions that flow back and forth between Eloise and Will, in a cathartic journey of sensual healing. Seeing two dissimilar and damaged characters getting closer and closer is like witnessing a train that will take them either to paradise or to an impending wreck.
Once the trust is built—some pizza and a few hundred bucks later—Eloise opens up about her traumas and needs. Lonely and inexperienced, she appears to start falling for Will. In turn, Will sees the opportunity to have some steady income coming his way while helping Eloise discover sex in a positive environment. Although the transaction seems to be going well for both, there is something growing inside of them that will change the course of their relationship.
Griffin explores issues of gender and social class. She explores the isolation and emotional detachment caused by sexual abuse. She takes her characters to a place where they lower their guards and feel their tears, unlocking the possibilities of sexual liberation, leaving a trace of bodily fluids and traumas behind. Griffin and Marshall create a stage where the audience see the facial and body expression of Eloise and Will, but more astonishingly is their ability to make the audience feel so palpably their emotional scars as well.
The story is enhanced by the background music, a selection that echoes Eloise’s sexual exploration and awakening. Just like the music, Eloise’s costumes contribute to tell her story. They show her transformation: First impression, confidence, and power. As far as character development, Eloise can be empowering, or an open question, depending on one’s take on life. The ending shows Eloise either as liberated or as an even more damaged person.
The blocking at the last scene could be perceived in different ways. Once the twist of the story is exposed, it leaves an aftertaste that deviates from the political correctness depicted in the media nowadays. Will’s posture in relation to Eloise’s is an image that exemplifies the power structure in our society. Can you tell?
The Opposite of Love
Hudson Backstage Theatre
6539 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Fri, Jul 25 – Sun, Aug 31
Thu, Fri, Sat 7:30pm
Sun 4pm
Tickets: onstage411.com/newsite/show/play
Written by
Ashley Griffin
Directed by
Melora Marshall
Produced by
Neil Gooding Productions
Cast: Ashley Griffin & Evan Strand
Creative team: Celina Lee Surniak (Intimacy Director), Omar Madkour (Lighting Designer), Marshall McDaniel (Composer/Sound Designer), You Chen Zhang (Co-Scenic Designer), Joyce Hong (Co-Scenic Designer), Sage Barrie (Costume Designer).
