This Is How It Goes

Synopsis

This Is How It Goes is about a young man who moves in with married couple Cody and Belinda Phipps, both of whom were in his class at school. Cody was the high school jock and the only black guy in the school; Belinda was the high school cheerleader. The new housemate's presence in the couple's seemingly stable family life exposes deep uncomfortable truths about all three of them. These truths are questionable however, as the story is being told through the eyes of the young man. As the events unfold and scenes are played out differently, we see both the perversion of the truth and the narrator's mind.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 9 September 2010

Neil LaBute’s quirky love triangle play, taking its title from one of Aimee Mann’s most haunting and enigmatic songs, was seen at the Donmar Warehouse five years ago with Ben Chaplin and Megan Dodds.

Even in this underpowered revival, it still offers a timely post-script (pre-script?) to Clybourne Park in its study of an ethnically mixed marriage, an abusive relationship and deep-dyed racism.

Cody Phipps was the school champion athlete, the only black guy in the class. He married the apple-pie pretty cheerleader, Belinda. They have two small children and live in the suburbs, buttressed by family wealth.

Their story is interrupted, and narrated, with alternative versions, by an unnamed young man who was besotted with Belinda but bullied by Cody because he was obese. Slimmed down, he became a lawyer, but has lost his job. He finds Belinda in a shopping mall and is taken in as a lodger.

LaBute’s subtle, beautifully controlled writ...

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