If you want to see two likable, funny, complicated people being kind of silly about falling in love, then No Rules Theatre Company’s production of Stop Kiss should be on your going-out list in the next two weeks. Diana Son’s dramatic comedy, about the events leading up to and following a street assault on two would-be lovers, is given an essentially perfect rendition in this, the directorial debut of Holly Twyford, one of D.C.’s most lauded and popular actresses.
Suggesting that Callie (Rachel Zampelli), a self-deprecating New York traffic reporter, and Sara (Alyssa Wilmoth), an idealistic school teacher fresh from St. Louis, are silly in the way they go about handling their romance is both true and reductive. On the one hand, anyone who has ever had an awkward time with a crush — perhaps going so far as to share a bed with them without working up the bravery to make a move — will laugh and/or cringe at Callie and Sara’s tribulations. At the same time, the brilliance of Son’s play lies in the way we slowly realize that, particularly for the emotionally paralyzed Callie, it is not just love-jitters that prevent these two women (both of whom have previously only been with men) from acting on their obvious mutual attraction; it is a kind of internalized stigma towards same-sex relations. Out of fear of ridicule or losing their friend, both women have to tiptoe around their desire so extremely cautiously it is both hilarious and painful to watch. This gives the comedy a semi-tragic pull, and turns out to be an obstacle more important for the two of them to overcome than the blunt, homophobic assault which lands Sara in a coma.
This play could be melodramatic if not acted in a totally believable and relatable way, and Zampelli and Wilmoth both deserve awards for the honesty of their performances here. Twyford’s balanced direction lets us laugh at their awkward attempts to express themselves without sacrificing an ounce of their dignity and humanity. They are ably aided by the rest of the cast, especially Ro Boddie, who turns the potentially thin character of Callie’s friend-with-benefits Greg into a highlight. Tony Cisek’s natural, adaptable set and Frank Labovitz’s spectacularly accurate parade of ’90s-tastic costumes are spot-on as well.
Perhaps we will be lucky and one day this play’s themes will become locked out by history, and it will just become an above-average romantic comedy; but for now, it is both a joy to watch and all too relevant.
Stop Kiss runs through October 2 at the H Street Playhouse. Tickets are available online.
