It was so fucking cynical!
I don’t generally add vulgar expletives to my reviews. Mostly because it’s practically never necessary. And those kinds of expressions, as a rule, do nothing to critique a show any better.
In the case of, THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, however, those were the first thoughts in my head long before the finale of the performance I attend. I mean, like, wow! And I had to get it out of my brain, off my lips and on paper, as friends do in conversation, for release. But really, no more than that.
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, written by Ashley Griffin, who also plays lead female, Eloise, is billed, “If ‘Pretty Woman’ was a ‘black mirror’ episode sans tech.” A down on his luck hustler, Will (played by Evan Strand) is hired to have sex with a (trust fund) woman who can well-afford his services. She does this in order to help herself move past hard core sexual trauma that she experienced in her early childhood by a family member. It goes without saying that what Eloise is attempting is no small feat. And no matter how anyone might feel about the construct, it’s a deep truth for her to do it in this way. Griffin, does so unapologetically, which makes it not only believable but captivating to a degree.
This is not a romance.
One of the play’s main objectives is to illuminate two people’s search for intimacy in a world where love is a commodity. And in much of the play, it succeeds. Especially where Strand’s character is concerned. Strand brings real vulnerability to Will that simmers beneath the surface at all times. In the beginning, the affair is completely transactional for Will. He even tells Eloise not to fall in love with him because, “it never ends well.” But as time goes by, it’s clear that along the way, he is becoming more committed to what he thinks are mutual feelings. And Eloise is not merely leading him on.
Eloise creates the courtship setup, gradually, over many weeks, opening up to Will to the point where they actually connect emotionally – as well as physically. Then she cuts him off. No-Contact Cold. And that’s where the whole “Pretty Woman” illusion ends. There is no happy ending. Worse, Eloise plays the victim in a 180-degree reversal where she accuses Will of using her only for the money. Even though there’s been no particular indication of nefariousness other than him counting bills on the first “date”. In fact, he’s extended himself on multiple levels. Eloise’s downright viciousness is a shock. And how Griffin presents this turnaround makes as little sense to the audience as it does to Will.
There are lots of bits and pieces thrown into THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE as character information. Some of which are completely jarring. These show up from time to time in posturing or expositional dialog. But you never get the full picture of Eloise’s emotional or psychological state. Or at least a truthful one. In fact, Griffin’s writing feels like a feminist revenge fantasy by a woman whose writing perceptually sounds like a man’s. The female character doesn’t get fully explored to the extent where we can get on board with her behavior. And maybe we’re just not meant to.
In a sense, Griffin writes herself into a corner. Eloise seems less dimensional than Will. Especially in the not-at-all subtle, psychological/emotional sea changes she makes all the time. Her deliberate off-balance doesn’t just throw her partner into a change in behavior. It also throws the audience’s understanding of what’s really going on. And either because of the writing or because of Griffin’s delivery, the outcome doesn’t allow a real exploration of the intended character complexities. Eloise ultimately becomes a villain.
Otherwise, Melora Marshall’s direction is quite good including the full use of the full Hudson Theatre stage. And although you are left with a feeling of bitterness in the outcome, THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, actually does its job of explaining the title.
RECOMMENDED
© Copyright 2025 GiaOnTheMove.com. All Rights Reserved.
Image by Matt Kamimura: Ashley Griffin and Evan Strand in THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, Los Angeles, CA.
*TRIGGER WARNINGS: Discussions of trauma, sexual abuse, assault and non consensual acts, depictions of intimacy, discussions of suicide, graphic sexual language.
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE; Starring Ashley Griffin as Eloise and Evan Strand as Will.
Written by Ashley Griffin; Directed by Melora Marshall; Intimacy direction by Celina Lee Surniak; Producer: Neil Gooding Productions; Executive Producer: Gayle Waxenberg