For those interested in SOMEBODY TO LOVE, prepare to feel awkward.
The good kind of awkward. The can’t-look-away-but-hard-to-resist feeling reminiscent of early 2000s romantic comedies. A carefully formed The Bachelorette-meets-Disney Channel-Two-Timer Date-trope kind of awkward.
And that’s a good thing. Matt Harry, Juliana Crump, and Nicholas Oktaras of Codex Arcanum bring us their first immersive work that takes a spin on the medium — enveloping us in a romantic comedy where we’re more than flies on the wall.
The experience begins in an unassuming parking lot. A presumed “bake sale” is the cover-up for an elaborate plot by hopeless romantic Adele (Tricia Fukuhara) to crowd-source her dating life. And by “crowd-source”, I really mean: Asking a bunch of strangers to help her decide between three guys she’s seeing.
It’s a rough conundrum. Adele is going on six months as “non-exclusive” with three complex fellas at the same time, and for one hour you get to meet all three in action as she meanders from one date to the next. Her phone interactions are the catalysts for each scene transition, as she inadvertently plans all the dates around the same street within sixty minutes.
This gives a small audience the chance to see each interaction and vote near the end on who Adele should settle with. I won’t give anything away, but the special sauce to this experience is that the group’s choice does matter — and it’s not an easy decision. Director Matt Harry does a decent job balancing the tropes of each potential match, layering all the lovers’ flaws in endearing ways. It’s made abundantly clear though, Adele has the worst flaw of them all: indecisiveness.
No romantic comedy is without witty banter, and the cast shines in this regard. Fukuhara is the anchor of the show, and between date scenes she’s open to questions, comments, and criticisms by a tough crowd. Her ability (and the rest of the cast for that matter) to react well under curveball improv is impressive. Alongside, Adele’s voice-of-reason friend Ibiza (Shakira Reedus) also acts as the snarky voice-of-the-audience. Reedus’ tact with lines is brilliant; her physical comedy engages the group with nods, points, and an occasional roll of the eyes that keep us enthralled.
The suitors Lance (Brandon Raman), Jesh (Samuel Blustein), and Will (James Brent Isaacs) deserve recognition of their own for imprinting character in such little time (most “dates” only lasted eight or so minutes tops). It’s a shame however, that we do not engage with the guys alone without the presence of Adele, leaving us wanting to ask them questions and probe into their psyche. We’re making a big decision, after all.
That leads to the only major issue with SOMEBODY TO LOVE — the pacing. It’s slow to start, rushes in the middle, and limps to a finish, all within loose proscenium-style location boundaries. Harry navigates the group from one location to the next, but the locations themselves aren’t fully developed; while we get to walk into the back room of a comic book store, we rarely get the chance to explore it or what the location means for the date at hand. They act as backdrops or set pieces more than elements to Adele’s character, but it is comedic to have her reactions to the space match our own.
That being said, there are several impressive elements here for a first-time immersive director. We’re granted the ability to speak without being spoken to, move freely within spaces or the group, and influence a show’s ending, which are all rare in new work. There’s consideration of the audience’s comfort and safety also, with beverages on-hand and an adorable way for us to cross the street together.
Of course, I did mention this show is awkward, in a good way. But it’s only good if you embrace it. For folks who prefer to sit, watch, and absorb heavier topics… this experience isn’t quite for you. If you’re more of a hopeless romantic and always enjoyed the “Say Anything” boombox scene to win back someone’s heart, then this show is definitely for you.
For this review, I attended the show’s first audience runthrough, so many of the observations above have since been improved and I would definitely invest in seeing it again. Overall SOMEBODY TO LOVE is endearing, playful, and a bold new take on a genre. If you’re tired of ghost stories and Through the Looking Glass-themed shows, this one will certainly brighten your week.
SOMEBODY TO LOVE is running its final weekend this July 20 and 21 in Burbank, tickets can still be purchased here.
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