By: Darryl Reilly
“You’re more to me than just a bunch of holes!” is a husband’s rejoinder to his feuding wife in American playwright Ali Keller’s jolting, resonant and engrossing (un)conditional; two heterosexual upper middle-class married couples’ conflicts over sexual incompatibility are searingly depicted.
A displayed purple strap-on dildo causes Valerie and Kyle to clash; purple is her favorite color. They met in high school, became intimate, and now have a precocious 7-year-old daughter. Valerie has grown disaffected, her rejuvenative brainstorm to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary is sodomizing Kyle with that artificial phallus. Gee, he has problems with her out of the blue gung-ho notion. Then there is plucky Lenox and morose Hank who met when she was a high school sophomore, and he was her math tutor. Their subsequent enduring marriage has been strained due to Hank’s chronic impotence clashing with Lenox’s desire to have children which he doesn’t want. Nonetheless, Lenox engages in outlandish attempts to arouse Hank for coitus. She is the chief breadwinner and is also Kyle’s corporate superior which has this quintet interacting.
Ms. Keller’s richly delineated characters often spout Neil Simon-style zingers amidst Neil LaBute-type unsettling revelations. The lacerating scenario spins out with suspense, shocks, and plausibility. The perpetual existential theme of maintaining romantic relationships is explored as some characters articulate their arguably self-indulgent views. Keller exhibits an exquisite command of dramatic writing during (un)conditional’s short stinging scenes which are enacted by a brave cast enabled by their superior comic timing and emotional range.
Sleek and alluring Kate Abbruzzese totally conveys Valerie’s feminist angst with her grand portrayal. Possessed of an expressive voice and an animated physicality, Ms. Abbruzzese veers from melancholy to feisty with affective ease. Sunny, mellow, and droll Brooks Brantly’s magnetism and athleticism are displayed as Kyle. Mr. Brantly’s stunned reactions to his wife’s surprise proposition are priceless. Brantly and Abbruzzese’s tremendous rapport infuse their characterizations with absolute believability.
Beaming and impish Georgia Waehler is hilarious, yet thoughtful as their loquacious daughter Mia. Ms. Waehler’s luminous charm allows her to seem realistic as a seven-year-old.
The serene Nathan Darrow is towering as the troubled Hank. Mr. Darrow’s passionate vocal delivery and somber mien accentuate his haunting performance. Channeling the cheery persona of a Midwestern executive, gutsy Annalisa Chamberlin is a marvel as Lenox. Ms. Chamberlin’s fearlessly unites comedy and pathos during her turn as this dysfunctional figure. Chamberlin and Darrow’s mutual intensity make this disturbed duo authentically disturbing.
(un)conditional was developed through the SoHo Playhouse’s 2024 Lighthouse Series and was its winner. This Off-Broadway world premiere is presented in association with Hannah Jade Vickery. Ideally, the production’s chief presentational flaw will eventually be addressed. Director Ivey Lowe’s physical staging and work with the actors are exceptional. Scenic designer Lindsay G. Fuori’s white-accented furnishings and décor are pleasing and there is a witty recreation of a suburban Target.
However, the numerous scene transitions are gracelessly achieved by crew members moving furniture around and resetting designer Hannah F Tarr’s excellent props in view of the audience. These intrusive and enervating distractions add to the play’s running time, a smoother and brisker approach would be preferable.
Lighting designer Kat Morrill’s stark hues and bracing dimness complement the tones and actions. Elliot Yokum’s vivid sound design renders the music and effects with verve. Costume designer Olivia Vaughn Hern’s vibrant garments range from the everyday to a warped Christmas getup.
Combining humor, frankness, and queasiness, (un)conditional is a shattering theatrical experience.
(un)conditional (through October 26, 2025)
SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, visit www.sohoplayhouse.com
Running time: one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission