an extract from

The Shape of Things

EVELYN: as i looked around my world for something to change, i knew id been
given a tall order. change the world. so, i decided to do the next best
thing, which was change someones world. i mean, thats a start, right?
one person changes, and then another, and then, well, you get it crude
but effective. with that in mind i present you this, my newest work. it is
a human sculpture on which ive worked these past eighteen weeks, and
of whom im very proud. i cannot legally name him tonight as he hasnt
yet signed a waiver for the various items on display in the visual portion,
but its a small college, and a smaller town [laughs], so youve got a
pretty decent chance at guessing who it is. in fact, ive done all i could
to be visible as possible with him this year im more of a stay at home
person myself since i thought that was an important aspect of his
unique transformation. the piece itself him is untitled since i think,
i hope, that it will mean something different to each of you and, frankly
anyone who sees it. His own name, however, is quite apropos.
[she turns over a large photograph from a nearby easel. the face has
been blurred out.]
i did the mtv thing here on the face this is a before picture that i
had a classmate take of us near the pizza hut out by the highway. that
was our rst ofcial encounter after he asked me out at his place of
work, a big no-no, or so i was told and it was here that i coaxed him
into eating his rst vegetarian meal. well, as vegetarian as a spinach-
and-mushroom calzone can be! he also had a salad anyway, he told
me that for him, it was a huge deal and it does mark the beginning of
my systematic makeover, or sculpting, if you will, of my two very pliable
materials of choice: the human esh and the human will. [beat.] i rst
spotted my chosen base material its so funny not to use names!
sorry, but a lawyer actually told me i had to say that, base material on
January 9th, the fth day of winter semester, as i was actively pursuing
another set of base material. [grins.] obviously, my current creation
appeared much more right for my work and so i created a scenario that
would allow for our eventual, yet seemingly random, connection.
[She scans the audience]
still with me? youre very quiet okay. the exhibit itself will give you
many rst hand examples of my efforts, some hands-on such as video
tapes or sound recordings of our conversations and others more
scientic in nature, as in growth charts, x rays and accompanying data.
as you can see from this photo, however, the hair, the glasses, the
 excessive amount of weight, offered a number of physical areas that
made him unique and perfect for this project. a short list of alterations
ive induced would include eating better and losing weight some
twenty-ve pounds or more an exercise regimen that included both
cardiovascular work and weight training, the purchase of contact lenses,
a complete change in hairstyles and signicant wardrobe alterations
as well. he even tattooed his body for me, without asking in a slightly
questionable place.

Neil LaBute

In The Shape of Things, Evelyn, an art student at an American University, has been
dating the plain Adam and has transformed him. In this extract, given as a lecture to
present her nal piece of work, Evelyn reveals to the audience that transforming Adam
has actually been her art project.
Neil LaBute (born 1963) is an American lm director, screenwriter and playwright. His
plays and lms are edgy and unsettling portrayals of human relationships.
It is interesting to compare LaButes work with other playwrights (many who can be
found in the Anthology) such as Edward Bond, Steven Berkoff, Sarah Kane, Martin
McDonagh, and Simon Stephens, along with Euripedes Medea.
Neil LaButes other plays include Bash (which you can nd in the Anthology),
Autobahn and Fat Pig and the lm and play In the Company of Men.