The Four of Us

“The Four of Us” is a comedic drama written by Itamar Moses and performed in California. The play, which is both entertaining and provocative, consists of two characters named Benjamin and David who deal with fame and fortune while exploring the fundamental life themes of friendship and love.

The play is like a jigsaw puzzle where the scenes are scattered everywhere. Moses brings out the personality of the characters through the easy to understand, fluid dialogue. Benjamin is a self-sufficient, laid back novelist that has no interest for money and fame, but writes because he enjoys it. Everything he does is for self-fulfillment. David is a struggling playwright, insecure and needy always trying to compare himself to his best friend. David is evidently covetous when he mentions how Benjamin is so fortunate to meet all these famous celebrities but “too pop-cultural ignorant to appreciate it.” The difference in personality was what brought the two best friends together but because of their conflicting views on life, career, and relationship David and Benjamin eventually go off in separate directions.

In the opening scene, Benjamin and David are at an Indian restaurant to celebrate Benjamin’s success in selling his first novel. David inquires about Benjamin’s book contract to find out Benjamin sold his book for $2 million dollars. I loved it when David had spit water from his mouth to emphasize how shocked he was from amount. David asks for all the details that happened, but he is secretly trying to hide his jealousy. This begins the deterioration of their friendship. The show also contains various comical lighthearted scenes that help break the tension between the two characters. The play illustrates the experiences they shared about sex, drugs, dreams, and life. The contemporary music of the play was also appealing to the young audience.

The most significant scene occurs 10 years later where Benjamin attends a play David wrote. Benjamin promptly exits the play and runs into David. Benjamin asks, “How could you write about me?” and then David replies, “How could you not write about me?” I still cannot forget these lines because it was a touching moment of true feelings. This obviously showed the two clashing perspectives of friendship. David thought writing this play showed how important Benjamin was his life while Benjamin felt completely humiliated by the play. This was the end of the friendship they had once both cherished. I thought this was the actual end of the play but to my surprise there was another twist. Moses cleverly distorts the image of reality and fiction when both David and Benjamin go back to watch the ending of David’s play.

I will not give out the surprise ending but I was very emotional after attending this play. It was brilliant how Moses constructed a play within a play when David and Benjamin meet many years later. The actors Steven Klein (David) and Ryan Johnston (Benjamin) were both great actors and portrayed their characters flawlessly. The Four of Us was definitely a show worth watching about the obstacles of friendship between two juxtaposing individuals.