The domestic quarrel jolts the play to a dramatic start as we understand that Greg (Tom Burke) has been overheard describing the face of his girlfriend Steph (Sian Brooke)  as ‘just regular’. Steph’s rage initially seems justified but, as the argument ensues, she reveals her intense insecurity and desperate need to be reassured of her physical beauty by walking out on him.

So, within the first ten minutes of the play, we understand LaBute’s axe to grind: we should all stop defining ourselves and each other by the way we look.

The American playwright introduces us to two further characters in this study of relationships; the psychology behind physical attraction and perhaps even sexism. Kent (Kieran Bew), Greg’s closest friend and his pregnant girlfriend, Carly, are pivotal to our understanding the desperation of the blue-collar worker.  Carly, played quite brilliantly by Billie Piper, works the night shift as a security guard, and as the play develops her vulnerability and fear of Kent and his philandering ways are revealed.
At this point, LaBute places Greg, our protagonist, on a pedestal as an honest, compassionate and hardworking American. Mind- numbing as it is, he stacks boxes by night, but, as his only respite, reads literature  during his breaks.

Smoothly directed by the Almeida’s own artistic director, Michael Attenborough with Soutra Gilmour’s cunning revolving set depicting generic everyday settings, the acting is mesmerising and, curiously, at times, extremely amusing. Are we laughing at our own insecurities? Or  detaching ourselves from our fears and obsessions by adopting the role of simple onlookers?

This seemingly mundane and ordinary story actually highlights a bigger picture of tender humanity; LaBute’s intelligent comedy makes us laugh out loud while also question how pretty we need to feel.

Reasons to be Pretty at the Almeida Theatre until 14th January 2012. Box office: 020 7359 4404

Image © Keith Pattison

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About the author

Emma Parlons
Emma is a freelance writer and enthusiastic networker. She founded Meeting of Minds, a networking group for female entrepreneurs in London in 2009. She joined www.evolvdigital.com as New Business Partner at the start of 2010 bringing her PR and online retail marketing experience to the team. Prior to joining Evolv, Emma was founder director of online beauty start-up, www.returntoglory.co.uk, and has also worked as a freelance PR consultant for a number of boutiques (on and offline), having had extensive business PR experience working as Head of Consumer Communication at AOL UK (1999 – 2007) and as Deputy Head of Corporate PR at Freud Communications (1997 – 1999).

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