God, that sounds pretentious, doesn’t it? Sorry. At least I didn’t spell it “theatre.”

So I went to see Neil Labute’s new play, “Reasons to be Pretty,” at the Lyceum on 45th Street last night, and I have a few (but just a few) thoughts about it. 

1) Along with God of Carnage, this is the second drama about domestic turmoil I’ve seen lately. I wish theater could tackle broader social themes more often. 

2) Reasons to be Pretty is ostensibly about how people are insecure about the way they look—that’s how the play is being marketed on posters all over Manhattan—but kind of not really. It’s really more about the relationship between two very different couples. 

3) That Piper Perabo sure is pretty. I’m glad she survived Coyote Ugly.

4) I’m startled sometimes by how mainstream the use of ostensibly obscene or vulgar language has become in theater. Reasons to be Pretty is cock chock-full of “cocksucker” and “motherfucker” and “cunt,” and I think even ten years ago you probably wouldn’t have found that in a Broadway theater. (You—yes, you, fuckhead—all you swears to the Lower East Side!) The good thing is, such language tends to scare away the hard-candy crowd. But what will playwrights do to be shocking when swearing grows trite?

5) Neil Labute sure does like his rock music. At The Shape of Things, which I saw a few years back, he used music to transition between scenes, so loud that it was almost painful. Here he used Arcade Fire, Cracker, and Radiohead…. Hearing “Low” really loud reminded me of how good Cracker is, so I’m putting the video below.

6) I’m always amazed/startled/perturbed by how violence and vulnerability makes people deeply uncomfortable and, in turn, they laugh. This happened at several moments and after one key scene in the play—moments so raw that they’re meant to leave you more or less gasping for air, punched in the stomach. But the audience loved ‘em! The laughter was loud and uproarious. 

I don’t mean to sound holier-than-thou, but WTF is up with that? I just find it such an odd reaction.

I think that, when Neil Labute watches his plays and sees this reaction, he must be smiling and thinking, “Told you so….”

Okay, I told you—a few thoughts on theater. Now, a little Cracker. 

Let me set the scene: Small, crowded club, hot summer night, cold beer in a plastic cup, pretty girl next to you, the lights go down, and this opening riff….

Yeah. You got it.