Promoting quality over quantity

In a play based on self-image and deception, four Boston College students did a fantastic job of bringing Neil LaBute's script to life. "The Shape of Things" took place in the small, intimate Bonn Studio with performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in front of a full house. The play portrayed a college student, Adam, played by Drew Broussard, A&S '07, who is awkward and has had trouble fitting in with the Mercy College student body. He gets a lucky break in meeting Evelyn, played by Sarah Carter, A&S '08, another college student, at the museum. Evelyn is a budding artist whose young and rebellious attitude carries throughout the play, even as she seduces Adam. Adam falls for Evelyn, who seems to be the first woman to show interest in this awkward student who holds a job as a guard at the local museum. He completely submits as she helps mold him into the man she wants him to be and he strives to become a more popular and "cool" figure on campus.

Phillip, played by Shan Agish, A&S '09, is one of Adam's few friends on campus and helps advise Adam about his developing relationship with Evelyn as Phillip is much more experienced - although not necessarily better at - handling relationships. In fact, Phillip is juggling his own relationship with Jenny, played by Caitlyn Benya, A&S '09, but as Adam and Evelyn's relationship blossoms, Jenny and Phillip's starts to fall apart.

The main focus of the play is Adam's evolution and submission to Evelyn's every whim, as she uses her artistic talent and molds him to fit in more with the student body. As the play moves forward, a different prop is left on stage, charting Adam's development and change throughout the play. Jenny even comments on Adam's change, but unfortunately their interaction turns into her cheating on her fiancé Phillip. The news of their affair ends up getting to Phillip. In return, Phillip and Evelyn engage in a little fling, and from there the relationships both start to fall apart.

The play culminates with Evelyn making a presentation for her art thesis, a project based on molding a person's life: Adam's life. She walks the audience through her every move, her every action that she took in changing Adam, and how she was able to put on the illusion of having a true and genuine relationship while still having no true feelings toward him. The other three characters are disgusted by Evelyn's presentation and all walk out in disgust, but she hardly seems to notice, or even care. The objects that have been periodically left on the stage throughout the play act as pieces of her final display, depicting the different steps in her progress with Adam.

In all, the actors were terrific, and the staging was excellent - a job well done.