In this LGBTQ romantic dramedy, THE LOVER AND THE FIGHTER, Sam Heyman shows us an illustration of a poignant love story, a story that reminds us that loving someone doesn't necessarily just mean consummating the relationship but rather, letting them leave an irreversible mark on you for better and for worse. What I especially enjoy about this play is how we see both Lee and Shawn engage with their past through the (welcomed or not) help of other significant relationships in their life!

This tender study of a relationship is deftly sketched using a back and forth time structure that matches the back and forth nature of the dialogue and of the relationship itself.

This is a beautiful play about friends, gay-straight crushes and the ways people change between high school and adulthood. I particularly loved the nuanced ways that relationships with the supporting characters bring out new revelations about Lee and Shawn, in ways both surprising and completely natural.
"The Lover and the Fighter" is yet another play in Sam Heyman's portfolio that demonstrates what a master he is at crafting lovely relationship-driven dramas. Bravo!