Theater Review: How I Learned to Drive

Last month, the Boston University Theater put on a production of Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive. This play has been my favorite contemporary play since I first read it about four years ago. It tells the story of Lil' Bit and her relationship with her uncle Uncle Peck which begins when she is very young and continues until she is in college. Though she is clearly a victim of molestation, the story is much deeper than that of a victim and her perpetrator. Vogel lets to audience into Lil' Bit's dysfunctional family in which her grandfather is over-sexed and her grandmother is at the beckon call of his sexual urges. In addition, Lil' Bit's mother gives her advice on sex and men that is misguided due to her own failing as a wife. The only family member that Lil' Bit can turn to is her uncle who loves her as more than a niece. The two begin a relationship before Lil' Bit even reached puberty. Though Lil' Bit knows that the relationship is wrong, Uncle Peck is her only advocate and support.

The play is told through various scenes that are not chronological. Vogel chose to do this in order to question the audience about at what point does their relationship become inappropriate. She wanted the audience to view a scene and think "is this wrong" and then escalate to a more graphic scene in order to raise the question "now is it wrong". With each scene, Vogel is asking the audience when does the relationship cross the line. While there is not a great deal of action, it is one of the most thought-provoking plays. I cannot give it enough praise!!

The production done by the Boston University Theater is exactly how I had imagined it when I first read the play. Vogel's stage direction states that music from the 1960s should be played and though I always tried to envision how this would affect the play it wasn't until I saw the production that I realized what an asset is to the play. The rebellious music from that time just fuels the angst in the play and in the audience. The actors and actresses were extremely strong despite the difficulty of the play's subject. All of the roles, with the exception of Uncle Peck and Lil' Bit, are double casted which is extremely impressive and works beautifully. I could rave about this production for many posts to come, but I will not bore you with every aspect that I loved. Instead, I ask all readers to take a chance of this play whether you read it yourself and see a production of it; I believe it is an extremely important play to which everyone should be exposed.

-DLP