Fringe: Look After You: Focus on the Positive

Louise Flory's new play  Look After You is a sensitive and touching piece about a photographer named Hannah (Louise Flory) with a brain aneurysm, who's lost her short-term memories and is growing aware of her mortality. Complicating matters is the fact that the doctors took off her engagement ring before surgery, so her fiancé Jake (Jason Altman) is left disaffianced, unsure how to break the news to her, or, as he confides to his bartender friend Paul (Lowell Byers), if he even wants to. Meanwhile, Hannah's pushy sister Lucy (Adi Kurtchik) is in town to help Hannah recover, though she'd much rather be left alone. The story is intriguing, with several surprising moments. The writing is mainly deft and fearless, with effortless dialogue, though the two supporting roles sometimes seem inconsistent, changing character to fit the situation.  This is Flory's first full-length play, and it's an impressive debut- I'll certainly look forward to her future work.
The cast is wonderful, especially Flory in the lead, who shows no hint of self-consciousness over speaking her own words. Altman is touching as the careworn Jake. Byers has a perfect bartender's charm as Paul. The hilarious Kurtchik nearly steals the show as Lucy (though her accent leads to in-universe questions that aren't addressed).

The direction by David Stallings is perfect- we always understand where the characters are and what they're feeling, even without them saying a word. Martha Goode's sound design (mostly of elevated trains) anchors the play in its Chicago setting. Vin Victorio's costumes express character wonderfully (with one or two missteps), and make the performers look great (especially the men).
A few people have noted to me that it's surprising this piece was accepted into the Fringe, since it's not a campy musical, has no nudity, and isn't a celebrity exposé- it's a real play. I'm glad that it was accepted. Recommended.

Look After You
Produced by Maieutic Theatre Works
Written by Louise Flory
Directed by David Stallings
Venue # 16 The SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam St.)
Fri, Aug 14 @ 5:00 pm
Sun, Aug 16th @ 3:00 pm
Wed, Aug 19 @ 8:15 pm
Fri, Aug 28 @ 9:30 pm
Sat, Aug 29 @ 1:30 pm

photo credit: Antonio Minino

1. Jason Altman (Jake) and Louise Flory (Hannah)
2. Lowell Byers (Paul) and Louise Flory (Hannah)