The 1950s pop music accompanying Li'l Bit's excursion down memory lane cannot drown out the ghosts of her past. Sweet recollections of driving with her beloved uncle intermingle with lessons about the darker sides of life. Balmy evenings are fraught with danger; seductions happen anywhere. Li'l Bit navigates a narrow path between the demands of family and her own sense of right and wrong.
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
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L.A. Theatre Works, a nonprofit theatre and radio production company, deserves a standing ovation for publishing consistently superb work. Most people simply do not have the time or the opportunity to see the many plays written in the last year, let alone the past decade. L.A. Theatre Works has been producing and recording plays for 10 years, and offers an extensive catalog of a varied body of work. I have heard nothing but top-notch acting and production values in the several plays I sampled and the one recording I witnessed. The plays are all about 90 minutes to two hours long. Most cost $18.95, and are available in stores or by calling (800) 708-8863. Recent productions include "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel. Vogel's play takes a light look at a dark subject, focusing on Li'l Bit, the daughter of a rural Maryland woman whose uncle taught her much more than simply how to drive. She writes of the psyche-scarring, incestuous relationship between the pre-pubescent main character and her grown-up uncle. Her straightforward honesty and unabashed humor offers a remarkably candid view of family disfunction. Glenne Headly, with her youthful-sounding voice, is perfectly cast as Li'l Bit. She effortlessly portrays a confused girl and an older, angrier woman. However, even as her character ages, that tremulous, girlish quality to Headly's voice consistently enriches her performance. -- Los Angeles Times
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
How I Learned to Drive,
By Doug (Rhode Island) - See all my reviews
This review is from: How I Learned to Drive - Acting Edition (Paperback)
Every quarter, for our English class book project we have to read one or two of the titles from the list that our teacher gave us. Being strapped for time, I decided to read a play, and luckily the play that I chose was "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel. Little did I realize that in reading this amazing piece of literature I would fall in love with it. Now, instead of just spending an hour reading the play, I want to spend a few hours watching it. I want to see how the actors portray the extended metaphor ( of sexual encounters and how it relates to learning how to drive a car ) that is the whole play. Vogel does a great job of creating real life characters who help us see into the sick world of a child molester. Although we naturally hate Peck for doing what he does, Vogel does an amazing job of dropping hints as to why he hurts Li'L Bit( so if you get a chance, read it more than once ). I would definitely recommend this play to any type of person. It is an easy read but more importantly, it tastefully makes you aware of what type of people there really are in this world.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional,
By
This review is from: How I Learned to Drive - Acting Edition (Paperback)
This play has been my favorite contemporary play since I first read it about four years ago. It tells the story of Lil' Bit and her relationship with her uncle Uncle Peck which begins when she is very young and continues until she is in college. Though she is clearly a victim of molestation, the story is much deeper than that of a victim and her perpetrator. Vogel lets to audience into Lil' Bit's dysfunctional family in which her grandfather is over-sexed and her grandmother is at the beckon call of his sexual urges. In addition, Lil' Bit's mother gives her advice on sex and men that is misguided due to her own failing as a wife. The only family member that Lil' Bit can turn to is her uncle who loves her as more than a niece. The two begin a relationship before Lil' Bit even reached puberty. Though Lil' Bit knows that the relationship is wrong, Uncle Peck is her only advocate and support.
The play is told through various scenes that are not chronological. Vogel chose to do this in order to question the audience about at what point does their relationship become inappropriate. She wanted the audience to view a scene and think "is this wrong" and then escalate to a more graphic scene in order to raise the question "now is it wrong". With each scene, Vogel is asking the audience when does the relationship cross the line. While there is not a great deal of action, it is one of the most thought-provoking plays. I cannot give it enough praise!!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very disturbing.,
By MAB (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: How I Learned to Drive - Acting Edition (Paperback)
"How I Learned to Drive" is very modern in its presentation, but enormously unnerving. Its use of a Greek chorus and minimal stage props just adds to the eeriness and vulgarity of the story. What is scary and truthful about this play is that in some families, occurrences like this may be happening. The character of Peck will give you goose bumps. I recommend.
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