Neil LaBute's Play THE SHAPE OF THINGS-What License does Artistic License Allow?

Neil LaBute's play "The Shape of Things" (2003) is a somewhat dated, somewhat timeless drama that raises the tenable topic of allowances granted with artistic license. It also considers boundaries to be maintained in relationships, censorship and sociological agency. With regards to sociological agency, I'm referring to the capacity of individuals to make self-choices that structure their lives and their responses to social structures. LaBute, a prolific playwright having garnered numerous awards and 3 Tony noms. He received an honor from the Amer. Acad. of Arts and Letters  in 2013. He's been described as misogynistic and disagreeable to which I disagree. I've seen several of his plays On and Off Broadway and found all his plays (especially "Reasons to be Pretty") pretty remarkable for being clever, chuckle worthy and provocative. Furthermore, his plays are under-scored by a ludicrous look at morality and accepted  norms of behavior. The final weekend performance for "The Shape of Things" was held at The 222 in an Healdsburg. The 222 which is by day an art gallery and doubles as a culture venue in the evening made an apropos setting for a play which began in an art gallery. Evelyn, a self-proclaimed sculptress and grad student, is poised to spray paint a sculpture when she's confronted by Adam. Adam is an undergraduate and P/T security guard for the gallery. The choice of Adam and "Eve" as names for the main characters was heavy handed. Nonetheless, LaBute's literary references of classic writers: Shaw, Shelly and artists such as Botticelli and DaVinci are learned references that resonate with the play's formidable plotting.  Evelyn manipulates Adam who lacks backbone. Evelyn continuously coaxed Adam on how to dress and what to do. This One Act, 4 character play featured a second romantically linked couple, Jenny and Phillip; Adam's roommate. Jenny and Phillip are undergrads at the same small-town college that Adam and Evelyn attend. Evelyn initiates a flirtation with schlubby and timid Adam. Adam succumbs to Evelyn's nudging for transforming himself and becomes better looking and more worldly as a result. Jenny and Adam spent 3 years in the same classrooms although Adam failed to note her interest in him outside the classroom. Phil picked up on Jenny's sexy vibe as soon as Adam introduced them. Sparks of attraction and resentment ebb and flow among the 4 characters culminating in Evelyn's final PhD. presentation at an art gallery in town. Evelyn, it turns out, is a performance artist and not all that she seemed. It seems Adam was her pet project in the form of human clay which she shaped and formed to suit her wishes. Unsettling questions appeared as to when, if ever, art ever crosses the lines of morality and who is to say. Furthermore, what are the boundaries between acts of love and one's agency? There's no question this is a provocative play that lingers long after the performance.  I appreciated the minimal staging, earnest performances, especially Terrence Austin Smith as Austin and LaBute's perceptive and penetrating writing.