A closer look at Closer

"Why is the sex so important?"

"Because I'm a fucking caveman!"

Such is the conversation between Anna and Larry, two characters in Patrick Marber's play Closer which will be performed this weekend in Bartlett Theater under the direction of senior acting major Ariel Mombrea. Closer charts the experiences of four characters whose lives intertwine through various acts of love and deception against such backdrops as an aquarium, a photography studio and a strip club.

Anna, played with understated warmth by Jordan Rizzieri, is a photographer of strangers; Alice, an American waif wandering in London, is played by Danielle Pelcher with equal parts bitter confidence and naive vulnerability; Dan is a struggling writer portrayed by Sean Farrell with slippery wistfulness; and Larry the dermatologist's cynicism is delivered by Ben Sheedy who smoothly highlights the character's oozing and occasionally broken confidencey. As their lives intersect and partners swap, two simple love stories evolve into a convoluted, darker picture.

There is no sugar coating here: the script is abrupt and violent, anv painfully honest. Marber's direct and explicit language gives voice to the characters' rage, betrayal and doubt. As Alice and Dan fight about the truth, Dan expostulates, "Because I'm addicted to it. Because without it, we're animals." The question Closer begs is, how long can one person withhold the truth from another? And what are the consequences?

In 2004 Mike Nichols directed the film version of Closer, starring Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen and Jude Law. For those who have seen the film version, expect surprises. For those who have not, expect biting, witty dialogue, brutal honesty, and pole dancing. Produced by the Performing Arts Company, Closer manipulates time and geography as various moments in the characters' lives overlap on the same stage.

"The dialogue is the same [as the film], the structure is different," said Nick Kowerko, junior arts administration major and Assistant Stage Manager of Closer. Senior acting major Ben Sheedy commented, "It has really been a labor of love," explaining that the cast and crew built the set and props for Closer.

"I hate retro and I hate the future. Where does that leave me?" asks Larry. Find out this weekend, when Closer is performed on Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM in Bartlett Theatre. Tickets are $7 for general public and $4 for students.