The shape of things nov 16 dec 17, 2005 helen thomson, the age 22112005 in this play by american writer neil labute, best known for the play and film in the company of men, red stitch has found a work that requires, and here receives, extraordinary performances to carry off its edgy style and shocking plot transformation. Evelyn begins changing everything about adam and eventually he stops seeing. At his best, neil labute forces you to examine truths about yourself and humanity in general that you might not want to admit. The shape of things neil labute broadway play publishing inc pf5v 0. After a chance meeting in a museum, evelyn, a sexy, aggressive artist, and adam, a shy, insecure student, become embroiled in an intense affair. Neil labutes films are small, tight, even confined, electric little chamber pieces bearing the stamp of his own first love, the theater. Labute born march 19, 1963 is an american playwright, film director, screenwriter, and actor. The shape of truth in the shape of things the atlas society. The shape of things is very thoughtprovoking, and i see in his characters many truths about humanity. The shape of things neil labute script ebook download 23 aug i recently finished reading the shape of things by neil labute and the words and.
A casebook is the first book to examine one of the most successful and controversial contemporary american playwrights and filmmakers. The shape of things peels back the skin of modernday relationships to ask how far someone might change themselves for love, or for art. Several tables scattered about with various supporting data on them. Such are the painful questions explored by neil labute in, the shape of things. The shape of things almeida at kings cross, london w hat is art.
The shape of things book by neil labute thriftbooks. Labute has divided his time between the theater and film, and many of his films, like the shape of things, are based on his own theatrical works. The actors dont bow at the end of neil labutes the shape of things, which says something about the shape of an evening that doesnt want a curtain call to interrupt the inevitable. The shape of things neil labute script pdf 23 aug i recently finished reading the shape of things by neil labute and the words and. Newsday obsession with surface and secrets runs through this second collection of neil labutes work. A young student drifts into an everchanging relationship with an art major while his best friends engagement crumbles, so unleashing a drama that peels back the skin of two modernday relationships, exposing the raw meat and gristle that lie beneath. The shape of things sztuka teatralna napisana przez amerykanskiego dramaturga i rezysera neila labute w 2001 roku. Finally, on april 2124, caitie almond directs neil labutes the shape of things, a scathing contemporary drama about two students at a small midwestern college. Americas obsession with physical beauty is confronted headlong in this brutal and exhilarating work. Film notes the shape of things university at albany. It will make one realize that the question that will get them thinking will be how far would one go for love and what price might one pay to have it. Owned by bethany kennedy, 808 sage meadow dr, glenn heights, tx, 75154, 4026300823 owned by.
The shape of things is a 2001 play by american author and film director neil labute and a 2003 american romantic drama film. The shape of things neil labute page 1 of 5 the exhibition gallery a small studio space painted blood red. Before we started reading it, we had the topic gender roles, so the play is a bit about it. Its also about art, about friendship and love and hate nad the things going this these things. As i discovered by producing neil labutes in a forest dark and deep, new plays are risky but the west end needs fresh voices for fresh audiences published. Choosing the wrong ones leads to misery and uglinessspiritual ugliness most of all.
Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. If youve seen one of his plays or movies, such as in the company of men or the shape of things, they can be. Neil labutes fat pig playwright neil labute talks about his most recent work. Beginning in a museum located in a small town, adam was a shy student working at the historical facility. Neil labutes the shape of things purports to offer us a new take on a familiar literary theme. Labute takes us to shadowy places we dont like to talk about, sometimes even to think about. Neil labute has a thing about beauty the new york times.
But in the shape of things, neil labutes absolutely chilling report from the sex wars frontline, where stratagems for sexual humiliations are planned, adam, the shy chap concerned, takes the videocamera, so to speak, lying down. In his thoughtful film the shape of things, writerdirector neil labute demonstrates these truths masterfully through the choices and fates of his characters. It premiered at the almeida theatre, london in 2001 with paul rudd as adam, rachel weisz as evelyn, gretchen mol as jenny, and fred weller as phillip. Does creation carry with it any moral responsibility. Choosing the right ones leads to happiness and beauty. The shape of things challenges societys most deeply entrenched ideas about art, manipulation, and love. In this instance, he gathers up his nerve and asks for her number.
The english soundtrack is rendered in dolby digital 5. Before long, it veers into the kind of dangerous, seductive territory that. In the shape of things, he vividly brings home to us the truth in jonathan swifts observation that nice people are full of nasty ideas. He is a 20 recipient of a literature award from the american academy of arts and letters. Reviews of the the shape of things until now regarding the publication weve the shape of things feedback customers have never nevertheless quit his or her. The shape of things by neil labute gretchen mol, paul. With his truetolife cynical and selfabsorbed characters and alltootrue social themes, he has firmly established himself as an unforgiving judge of the ugliest side of human nature. He is bestknown for a play that he wrote and later adapted for film, in the company of men 1997, which won awards from the sundance film festival, the independent spirit awards, and the new york film critics circle. Eveevan standing all alone, punch in one hand, cookie in the other. I bought three plays, and i cant wait to read the others. In a modern version of adams seduction by eve, the shape of things pits gentle, awkward, overweight adam against experienced, analytical, amoral evelyn.
Fall, creation, and redemption in neil labutes the shape of things. The shape of things by neil labute definitely brought art into another level where people can relate to it easily. Neil labutes adaptation of his stage play the shape of things comes to dvd with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2. Sociology the exhibition gallery a small studio space painted blood red. Barry debois as adam, chelsey clime as evelyn, nick fesette as phillip, karen bray as jenny. This play would be a good suggestion for a school scene study or low budget, fulllength performance.
The shape of things essay love is whatever you betray, betrayal can only happen if you love john le carre the play the shape of things by neil labute reminded me of this quote by john le carre because of the reality in life and reality in the play. Sometimes labute will lurk in the back of the theater to gauge how his jokes are going over with the audience. After a chance meeting at a museum, evelyn and adam embark on an intense relationship that causes shy and principled adam to go to extraordinary lengths, including cosmetic surgery, and a betrayal of his best friend, to improve his appearance and character. He has also directed the feature films nurse betty and possession, the latter adapted from the novel by a. While he is most famous, and in some cases infamous. Yyy dtqcfycrncrwd eqo kphqdtqcfycrncrwd eqo owned by bethany kennedy, 808 sage meadow dr, glenn heights, tx, 75154, 4026300823. Neil labute s plays include bash, in a forest, dark and deep, and reasons to be happy. The play opens with evelyn in the museum where she meets adam, the security guard. Owned by bethany kennedy, 808 sage meadow dr, glenn. Acclaimed and highly discussed filmmaker neil labute has made himself a force to be reckoned with and a name to watch. Reasons to be pretty is the bookend to the three vanity plays of labute the shape of things and fat pig being the first two. He is the writerdirector of the films in the company of men and your friends and neighbors, and author of the stageplays bash, the shape of things which he also adapted for the screen and, most recently, the mercy seat. Such are the painful questions explored by neil labute in the shape of things.
But labute adds little to the theme, other than the shock of exquisite viciousness. Neil labutes bristling new comic drama puts the final ferocious cap on a trilogy of plays that began with the shape of things and fat pig. Neil labutes plays include bash, in a forest, dark and deep, and reasons to be happy. Like many of his plays, fat pig is about obsession with physical appearance.
But mainly, its focus is on the change of adam, one of the four characters. Poor adam spends much of neil labutes the shape of things looking like this, behind whatever action is in progress. The shape of things program pdf pittsburg state university. Neil labute looking at the current scene with wide open eyes challenges the complacency in this conventional thinking about the nice artist and life. In the process, evelyns subtle and insistent coaching. The inciting incident is when she spray paints her phone number onto adams jacket. Information about the movie on drama, usa france uk, 2003, 96 min. These and a host of other topics are raised by neil labute in this. A casebook casebooks on modern dramatists gerald c.
Neil labutes the shape of things a gender reversed pygmalion. I had to read the shape of things by neil labute for my english class. His films include in the company of men, your friends and neighbors, the shape of things, obsession, some velvet morning, and dirty weekend. The shape of things by labute pdf free download ebook.
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