The modern adaptation of Neil LaBute’s ‘The Shape of Things’ touches themes of possession, beauty and narcissism.
Staged with minimalist set design and lighting to suggest scene changes, it puts the two protagonists at the centre of the spotlight.
Nigerian actor Oreofe Olubajo shines as Adam, bringing an endearing, gentle-giant quality to a character often reduced to caricature. His portrayal taps into the complexities of Adam’s inner life with emotional nuance. Evelyn, delivers a playful, innocently jovial woman whose charm masks manipulation, expertly coaxing Adam into submission.
Sparks fly as flirtation whips across the stage like slingshot arrows in a world of morally ambiguous choices and intoxicating sexuality.
The play delivers punchy, memorable moments, such as Adam’s vulnerable confession: “I can’t stop thinking about you… I mean, it’s not like a stalker situation yet, but I’m finding myself hanging out by your class, following you, and taking my jacket off thirty times a day, looking at your number and writing your name on anything… in my book and in my food.”
The line, already iconic in LaBute’s text, was taken a step further here. Oreofe may have improvised the final part, making it all the more unforgettable.
The actors fully embody their roles, blurring lines between performance and possession. Their chemistry is electric, their timing impeccable, and their dynamic utterly captivating, just like writing a lover’s name in your food: an act of hunger, of passion, and of playful obsession.
