The boundaries between theater and reality are what Grace Overbeke ’08 seeks to find in “The Real Thing,” written by Tom Stoppard. The play follows two couples and investigates how their adulterous relations develop in a play-within-a-play context. In all, viewers are left with an investigation of the emotional relationships between characters. We discover that they can develop from a seemingly presentational milieu to what we can define as real.

Overbeke takes liberties with Stoppard’s play, shifting the setting from Britain in the 1980s to America in 2008, and cutting out entire characters from the play. However, she effectively maintains Stoppard’s essential exploration.

In “The Real Thing,” playwright Henry (Gabriel Fries ’09) is married to Charlotte (Jordana Wolf ’08) who is the lead actress in Henry’s play, “House of Cards.” Distracted from his matrimonial commitment, Henry falls in love with Annie (Leah Lucid ’10), an actress who is involved with Max (Joe Newman ’09), Charlotte’s onstage husband. Thus, Stoppard’s play examines the complications that develop in preexisting emotional relationships because of shared passion or role-playing in the arts. More generally, the play poses the question of whether art can induce love, or if enacting love is itself an art form.

Fries plays a perplexed but seemingly protective and elitist Henry aside a bitingly astute Wolf as Charlotte. Lucid brings sincerity to her role of Annie, especially in her pursuit of Henry, and in her later wishes to be involved in what Henry sees as a lackluster play. Debbie (Brenna Galvin ’11), the daughter of Henry and Charlotte, emerges in clear relief despite her secondary role, and wonderfully displays teenage rebellion and her shrewd understanding of human relations. All in all, the entire cast succeeds in articulating moments of distinction for each of their characters.

“The Real Thing,” can be seen in the Daniel Family Commons this weekend. Performances will be on Friday, May 2 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Saturday, May 3 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. First come, first served basis.