Written by orange• February 17, 2025• 8:55 pm• Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Playhouse, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

How I Learned To Drive @ Costa Mesa Playhouse – Review

photo credit: Kerrin Piche Serna and David Rodriguez

Written by Daniella Litvak

“Sometimes the knights are the monsters…” [1]

Over the years, I have had the honor of watching many shows depicting disturbing content onstage: murders, suicides, and dismemberment. However, when it comes to skin-crawling theatrical experiences, how i Learned to drive shot to the top of the list. Content advisory disclaimers are posted on Costa Mesa Playhouse website and at the theater. The message bears repeating. “This show deals with mature themes around sexual abuse and pedophilia.” [2]

how i Learned to drive is the story about a woman nicknamed Li’l Bit (Stephanie Savić) recounting the years of grooming and sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her Uncle Peck (Maxfield Lund) as a child and the consequences of it in her adult life. Driving lessons are the thematic through-line as Uncle Peck’s driving lessons to Li’l Bit make up the bulk of the story.

Story:

Using the concept of driving a car as a way to structure the play allows the story to unfold non-linearly. The story reverses, speeds up, and idles in time on a dime. It’s a fitting structure, considering we are seeing Li’l Bit’s memories, come back to us in sudden ways and in random order. It’s also a clever way of making the audience as disorientated about what is happening as Li’l Bit feels. The downside of the memory format is that sometimes the show veers into telling rather than showing and is overly dependent on extended monologues.

Direction/Acting:

The material is challenging, and the cast under Peter Kreder’s direction can handle it. As Li’l Bit, Savić has the weight of the play on her shoulders. She captures all the nuances of the character. Lund is flat-out creepy as Uncle Pack. Even when Peck is at his most genial, you never forget the menace lurking underneath. At one point, he mentioned taking off shoes, and I felt the urge to keep mine on permanently.

Eric Palmer (Male Greek Chorus), Shelly Day (Female Greek Chorus), and Shelby Perlis (Teenage Greek Chorus) play various roles, such as Li’l Bet’s other family members and classmates. They manage to distinguish the characters just from their mannerisms and posture. A standout example is Palmer’s transition from Big Poppa, Li’l Bit’s grandpa, who is also inappropriate, to an awkward young man. As Li’l Bit’s mom, Day delivered the most humorous moment of the show with her spiel on drinking.

Set Design:

Kreder’s set design smartly opts for symbolism over realism. The physical set pieces are spare and simple, but they do a lot to suggest being in a car, a kitchen, or a restaurant. The collage of street signs on the side walls popped and added color to the stage. The digital backdrop was more than just a screen. It was practically another character.

How I Learned to Drive is not a play I would want to see repeatedly. However, Costa Mesa Playhouse deserves applause for its continued commitment to bringing challenging, provocative stories to the stage.

[1] A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin.

[2] From the Costa Mesa Playhouse website.