There is no doubt that technology is a large part of many of our lives. Have you ever left the house and forgotten your smartphone? I have, and I start having withdrawal symptoms just thinking about that! iLust for G-Love: An Auto-Ethnography (directed and produced by Kristine Quinio) is a comical collection of 6 vignettes that look at the role of technology in our love lives and how we communicate, or rather, miscommunicate, with these technologies.
In Dark Side of Love astronaut Jack Valentine (Sean O’Connor) is on a year-long mission orbiting Mars and uses the on-board computer companion, Oracle (Emily Crockett) to facilitate an on-line dating match with Violet through texting from space. But when communications are cut off for a month, will his love life hit a snag? Will he be able to find true love, even in outer space, or will he be stuck with only Oracle forever.
In Delivery three friends Adam (Phillip Chang), Violet (Kirsten Stajich), and Eve (Crockett) are discussing the various virtues of online dating on sites such as iLust and what the singles one the various sites are actually looking for—a quick hook-up, or stable relationship—when Eve’s previous one night stand (Alex De Jong) unexpectedly shows up and becomes upset at Eve for not really wanting to be in a relationship, but using a site that is obviously for people looking to be in one.
Glasshole pokes fun at the new Google Glass phenomenon as Adam (O’Connor) goes to the Glasshole store and tries to find an app that will help re-invigorate his relationship with girlfriend, Eve (Stajich). Will he find the “cure” or will he get more than he bargained for?
I Could Have Texted All Night is a commentary on the fact that people no longer want to call each other, they just text and the types of miscommunication that can occur without the tonal cues that you get from conversations. Henry (De Jong) and Eliza (Karen Lawrence) go on a fantastic first date, but that could be the end of the relationship if Henry doesn’t watch his actions over text the next day!
Silence gives the audience a hilarious look at a G Chat exchange between two friends and how sometimes we accidentally say things we don’t mean, but its actually not a bad thing. Eve (Stajich) is in love with Eliza (Lawrence) but does she have the guts to tell her?
In Sleepwalker Jack (De Jong) meets three dreamgirls, Love Connection game show style with the help of The Oracle (Chang) but when he learns to “read between the lines” of what their personal dating bios really means, he isn’t sure who to choose!
Each of these six shows gives us a glimpse into how technology can aid or hinder our love lives. The highlights of the show are the acting talent and the ingenious use of technology. O’Connor’s has an uncanny ability to seamlessly slip from egotistical astronaut Jack Valentine to sensitive Adam who wants nothing more than to save his relationship. Alex De Jong is equally talented as he moves from an angry lover, to a lost and confused, overeager young student. Phillip Chang’s turns as a Bi-sexual lover, Glasshole salesman, and dancing Oracle had me in stitches each time he appeared on the stage. Another special treat were the musical interludes with Crockett singing about the failures of Auto-correct in the first one and featuring the melodic voice of Lee Cain in the second.
If you’ve ever been single and searching in this technology-filled world, or if you love texting more than actual conversations, or if you are a G-chat guru, or if you’re just looking for a fun-filled night of laughs, texting, g-chatting, and dancing then definitely check out iLust for G-Love: An Auto-Ethnography!
iLust for G-Love: An Auto-Ethnography plays through July 27, 2013 at The Goethe Institut—Main Stage— 812 7th, NW in Washington DC.. For performance times and to purchase tickets, visit the show’s Capital Fringe page
