Sure Thing
Sure Thing In David Ives’ short one-act comedy play “Sure Thing” he examines a number of variations in which a conversation between a guy and girl could take place. Theme, setting, plot, characters all of these things are essential to the understanding and captivation of the audience. With every exchange of conversation there is the ability to regain a fresh start by getting a second chance to make a good impression. The setting of this play is simple, a coffee shop. The setting is perfect for what Ives’ is trying to portray. Most people have had a conversation in a coffee shop with a stranger that they walk away from and wish they had said something different. Coffee shops are small, quite and conversation inviting. This is a place were people with the intention of meeting someone. The theme is the ability to change a conversation from awkward to a “Sure Thing” with just a few words. This is something that everyone at some point would love to be able to do. I don’t know how many times I have walked away from a conversation wondering why I said what I said. If I have a chance to redo I would. In this play, there is a bell that when it rings signifies that something wrong or inappropriate was said and you have another chance to say the right thing. Most of the play is simple one-liners. The plot shows people that they need to think about what they say in order to improve conversations. This play is based on two people meeting each other for the first time. It shows an example of the beginning of a modern day relationship. People meet, find attraction, and before getting to really know each other they jump feet first into a relationship. Ives’ tries to show us that getting to know each other before sex will create a deeper meaning to the relationship. David Ives’ is a modern contemporary American playwright who is known best for his “Seinfeld-like one-liner humor. Ives’ was born in 1950 and raised in South Chicago’s steel-mill district. He
Cited: http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=sure%20thing April 10, 2007 http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/20275/David_Ives/index.aspx?authorID=20275 April 10, 2007 http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ives April 11, 2007 Ives, David. Sure Thing. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 10th ed. New York: Longman, 2007. 1259 - 1268