Genesis, in her anger at her lover's truth-telling, tells him a whopper of a lie which when made right only makes things worse. Rashad, in his honesty plays into her fantasies about men and cruelty and fecklessness. The marriage proposal (see the photo) brings them to a new place for honesty. This is a very provocative play and director Jean-Remy Monnay has two sensitive actors on whom to work through the rapidly changing dynamics displayed here. Iniabasi Nelson plays Rashad with a hint of awkwardness, showing us how a confident man can be cowed by a woman's emotions; it is fun and yet powerful watching him struggle with the love of his life who becomes convinced that she must dominate a difficult break in their involvement. Bianca Stinney is overpowering with her confident stage presence as a woman who knows who she is, what she needs and what she wants and what the differences are. between them. If the road to romance is paved with angry cobblestones that is the road these two have to take to complete their journey.. 

         This is a neat play with a shock or a surprise every minute or two. The designers, Nic Nealon (lights) and Barbara Neu-Berti (costumes). have played their technical roles perfectly. "Love is always lovely in the end," Mrs. Tottendale sings in the show "The Drowsy Chaperone," and if ever two people deserved that sort of happy ending it is Genesis and Rashad.

         However, telling lies for self-protection does matter negatively even when that error follows a large diamond on a ring that strikes a perfect note. Music plays a major role in the play, but it is more the theory of musicians' rights rather than the tunes themselves that make a difference in these two people's lives. To say more on this subject would kill the play's surprises so I'll let go of the plot and just tell you that this short play - just over an hour - may exhaust you as you try to take - and keep - sides. One thing I can say with complete assurance is this: You want these people to make it, to live happily ever after even if they never completely agree on much of anything. They do seem so right for one another.