THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE a new play by Ashley Griffin, "If Pretty Woman was a "Black Mirror" episode, sans tech"

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE by Ashley Griffin, directed by Rachel Klein produced by New York Rep at Royal Court Performing Arts Space, 145 West 46th St., 3rd floor. Through June 15th

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE  is a courageous play on target for these ultra commodified times, when sex, if not love, is yet another “market” to be navigated for strategic advantages–status, finance. Eloise, played by Ashley Griffin, and Will, played by Danny Garner, are magnificent combatants except that this courtship is a work for hire. 

 Historically, in this “man’s world,” marriageable girls (Rapunzel anyone?) were locked up for their own good. “No man marries a cow, if he already has the milk” was the basic idea of  women’s value. Whether rich or poor, around the globe, legacies were at stake.

Yet Eloise’s conundrum is emotionally like Rapunzel. Unable to leave her tower, she hires Will, a sex professional Though women are sometimes accused of being obsessed with “victimization”, the truth is few women want to become sexually intimate with strangers. Yet in  conventional heterosexual relationships, many men see sex as the entry ticket for them to consider a relationship with a woman. Why waste time waiting until the woman is comfortable with it? 

A good-looking young woman with a trust fund, Eloise has money, security and education–all the cards. She hires Will to help with her problem with sex, but backs off on physical contact. He accepts that .when and if are her call. And he wants to do a good job, especially when he learns how she was  abused sexually as a child. But it’s no easy task.  She eschews dating, as scary, unpredictable and potentially violent. She’s not wrong. Date rape is not rare, nor the shame about reporting it. 

It’s clear she’s hired him so she can resolve her issue and have sex with a man. It’s also clear Will’s expert enough to figure out his approach to her therapy. He reserves a night a week, and it’s soon clear, he’s sincere, even turning down other jobs. Listening becomes exchanging personal stories of childhood, lost innocence, some spiritual balm?  Money is always exchanged, what it means becomes a question, as action heats up.

There may be love here but there’s a switch in the last scene, expected and not. The switch reminded me of Strindberg’s Miss Julie, who forsakes her “upstairs” class and wakes up downstairs undone. Yet In Griffin’s story, this man hasn’t any cards. 

ENDS 6/15-catch it if you can.

S.W.