I Love You Bro Play Analysis Theatre Essay Example

unaware that his online lover is actually a younger male. Throughout the play, Johnny creates various fake characters to further his connection with Mark. It all starts with a misunderstanding on Mark's part, thinking that Johnny's online alias "AlbaJay" is a female character, which leads to the creation of Jessica. Jessica becomes Johnny's obsession when he realizes she can serve as a conduit for reciprocated love.Jessica initially starts innocently, but soon Johnny starts creating new characters to satisfy his need for attention. He invents Simon, Jessica's vulnerable fictional younger brother, and Stings, a intimidating bully. Johnny creates these characters to manipulate Mark's feelings towards him by introducing danger into their relationship. By putting Simon in a threatening situation and forcing Mark to make difficult choices, Johnny takes the game to a higher level and greatly increases the tension. Similarly, Jane Bond and Agent 41579 serve the same purpose as Johnny's previous fictions. They both add danger to the romance, intensifying the urgency of the connection between Mark and Johnny. Agent 41579 also acts as a magnet for Mark's attention and affection, similar to Jessica. The establishment of this new relationship between Mark and Agent 41579 increases the tension in the plot after a period of calm, culminating in the attack on Johnny.This narrative takes place on a simplistic and minimalistic set designed by Renee Mulder. The set consists of an abstract elevated phase in the upstage area, which acts as a creative panorama for projected images. Additionally, there is a simple wire framed desk construction at the most downstage point, which serves as the focal point. This desk and the computer on it are extremely

important to Johnny, representing his entire existence. The set accurately reflects his world and how it revolves around his online presence. The jagged and crisp edges of the stage also represent Johnny's confused and troubled life when he is not on his computer. The small and uncluttered stage, along with the use of a single actor, directs the focus solely on Johnny and his actions, engaging the audience and enhancing the overall delivery of the play. Another compelling aspect of the set is the wheeled chair that Johnny frequently rolls around the stage on. This chair symbolizes his internal struggle and indecisiveness, often seen when he faces difficult decisions throughout the play.This passage effectively demonstrated his conflicting emotions and uncertainty, serving as a symbol for his indecisiveness and lack of confidence. The lighting and effects greatly enhanced the dramatic action. Throughout most of the play, the stage was illuminated with a bluish hue, mirroring Johnny's personal emotions at any given time. This was particularly evident when Stings, Johnny's darker alter ego, took control. The lighting instantly transitioned to nearly complete darkness, with only faint traces of light dancing on the stage. Accompanied by a distinct buzzing sound effect, this signaled the abrupt and drastic change into his alter ego. After the transformation, a low and menacing tone played, illustrating the sinister nature of Stings. Similarly, the presence of the blue color when Johnny pretended to be Jessica conveyed his softer side. These lighting and sound elements effectively communicated both mood and personality to the audience, along with the use of simple images and occasional video projections on the backdrop.Director David Berthold skillfully utilized the dramatic

elements in Adam J. A. Cass's I Love You, Bro, effectively bringing out the distinct functions and relationships presented in the play. As a result, the audience experiences a strong connection with this production. The play expertly generates tension at crucial moments in the plot, and through the strategic resolution of this tension, the play thoroughly engages the audience.