
Love and Marriage
Johnson Co. Fairgrounds (Exhibit Hall A) — Jan. 23-25
For an alternative to overly-long romantic comedies that are barely worth the price of popcorn, check out Iowa City Community Theatre’s final showings of Love and Marriage, a series of one-act comedic plays that explore the lighter side of love.
In a contemporary theatrical landscape where companies try to boost ticket sales with popular musicals and familiar titles, an evening of one-act plays is rare. A short runtime for each show means that they do not bother with excessive exposition. They tend focus on one idea that might be too quirky for full-length show, but has just as much to say about the human condition.
Four local directors present four plays that each explore unique perspectives on love. Literature lovers will enjoy “The Proposal” by Anton Chekov. Those who prefer something more shocking might prefer “Bridal Terrorism,” the story of a woman who is determined to get married by any means necessary—even if she has to hunt for an unsuspecting groom. A group of friends face letdowns in their love lives with the help of alcohol in “Laundry and Bourbon,” while an elderly couple struggles to reconstruct their past relationships in “I’m Herbert.”
Performances for this Friday and Saturday start at 7:30 p.m., in addition to a 2 p.m. show on Sunday. See website for ticket details.