New York Review: “How to Have an Affair Without Really Trying” at The Tank

Max Berry, Contributing Critic - New York City

Written and performed by Becky Goodman, How to Have an Affair without Really Trying followed Goodman playing herself as she confesses to an unseen therapist her struggles with being attracted to older men. The story is told through song and with enough sarcastic and self-deprecating humor to keep you laughing. However, it was unable to fully grab my attention for a good portion of the show.

My biggest problem with How to Have an Affair was the unseen therapist. The character’s presence was never truly felt. Goodman arrived to the therapy session and began addressing the empty chair, so, of course, that’s where we are meant to believe the therapist is, but I never got the sense that Goodman believed the therapist was there. Her eyes would go in that direction but always felt like they were scanning the empty space. This made the play feel disingenuous and almost like it was making fun of itself. I never got the sense that anything the therapist was saying was affecting Goodman in the spontaneous way another person would. Rather it felt as though she was reacting in the way that was rehearsed for her to react. Without the therapist being clearly defined, much of the tension was lost.

The songs, written by Goodman, very catchy and very funny Chronicling her journey through dating these older men, each song is witty, sarcastic, and self-deprecating in all the right ways. While the transitions from scene to song felt a little abrupt and the one-color lighting changes were a little odd, the songs themselves were always entertaining. It’s in the songs where Goodman’s humor shines the most.

All of this aside, the play reached an emotional peak at the end that was really beautiful to see. Goodman shed all humor and all sarcasm and just told a story. A very powerful and terrifying story. You could visibly see the story affecting her and in that moment the goofiness of talking to an invisible therapist was gone and we got something real and vulnerable that really moved me. I would have like to see more moments like this throughout. Though, maybe if we had, it wouldn’t have meant as much. I’m not sure.

How to Have an Affair has all the right pieces but lacks the defined presence of an unseen character that is central to the story. The songs are fun despite the sometimes awkward transitions. This is a show that I could see really thriving if the emphasis was put on strengthening these aspects as well as perhaps bringing some of the emotion from the end throughout the piece. Overall, I look forward to where this show will be next.

“How to Have an Affair Without Really Trying” was written and performed by Becky Goodman at the Tank (312 West 36th St, New York NY 10018)

Photo: Featured: Becky Goodman  Photo by Leslie Bowen