| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
type |
TVTItem |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
label |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
page |
HowILearnedToDrive |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
comment |
How I Learned to Drive is a 1997 play by Paula Vogel.A woman, known to the audience only as L'il Bit, tells a story of her complicated relationship with her uncle. Uncle Peck taught Li'l Bit to drive. He also molested her, starting when she was eleven years old. According to Vogel herself, the play is "about the gifts we receive from the people who hurt us" — and about control and manipulation. It is possibly the most heartbreaking work about pedophilia and incest you'll ever read or see.The play premiered off-Broadway in 1997, with the original cast led by Mary-Louise Parker as Li'l Bit and David Morse as Uncle Peck. It won the Pulitzer Prize the following year, and was revived, again off-Broadway, in 2012. The play was supposed to run on Broadway for the first time (with Parker and Morse reprising their roles) in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the production 2022. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
fetched |
2024-05-06T08:31:45Z |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
parsed |
2024-05-06T08:31:45Z |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
isPartOf |
DBTropes |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_1434e55c |
type |
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_1434e55c |
comment |
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: As well as grandparents. Li'l Bit's breasts are a regular dinner topic. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_1434e55c |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_1434e55c |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_1434e55c |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_317629db |
type |
Embarrassing Nickname |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_317629db |
comment |
Embarrassing Nickname: Li'l Bit, Uncle Peck, and many other members of the family are given nicknames that refer to their genitals. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_317629db |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_317629db |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_317629db |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_3b9b21c9 |
type |
So Beautiful, It's a Curse |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_3b9b21c9 |
comment |
So Beautiful, It's a Curse: A hilarious monologue in a mostly serious play has Li'l Bit comparing her emerging boobs to parasitic aliens who have latched on to her. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_3b9b21c9 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_3b9b21c9 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_3b9b21c9 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_4e2d95e |
type |
Thanks for the Mammary |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_4e2d95e |
comment |
Thanks for the Mammary: A middle school classmate fakes an allergic reaction, and when Li'l Bit asks what he's allergic to, he grabs a handful and yells, "foam rubber!" |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_4e2d95e |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_4e2d95e |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_4e2d95e |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_59f5238 |
type |
D-Cup Distress |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_59f5238 |
comment |
D-Cup Distress: L'il Bit compares her emerging boobs to parasitic aliens who have latched on to her. The kids at school make fun of her. Her own grandfather, who is a real scumbag, makes fun of her. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_59f5238 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_59f5238 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_59f5238 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_5ff56a1f |
type |
Long List |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_5ff56a1f |
comment |
Long List: Li'l Bit's mother's Lady Drunk status is hinted at by her thorough knowledge of women's cocktails. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_5ff56a1f |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_5ff56a1f |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_5ff56a1f |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_61313315 |
type |
Off the Wagon |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_61313315 |
comment |
Off the Wagon: After Li'l Bit rejects him, Uncle Peck eventually drinks himself to death. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_61313315 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_61313315 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_61313315 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_62f8cfef |
type |
Umbrella Drink |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_62f8cfef |
comment |
Umbrella Drink: Lampshaded, in a way: Li'l Bit is strenuously warned against ordering one of these. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_62f8cfef |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_62f8cfef |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_62f8cfef |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_65b696be |
type |
Fille Fatale |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_65b696be |
comment |
Fille Fatale: Averted, though Li'l Bit is accused of being one by her uncle's wife. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_65b696be |
featureApplicability |
-1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_65b696be |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_65b696be |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7b3ebb57 |
type |
Buxom Beauty Standard |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7b3ebb57 |
comment |
Buxom Beauty Standard: Uncle Peck calls Li'l Bit's breasts "these celestial orbs." |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7b3ebb57 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7b3ebb57 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7b3ebb57 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c |
type |
The Alcoholic |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c |
comment |
The Alcoholic: Uncle Peck is a recovered drunk, who falls off the wagon and drinks himself to death after Li'l Bit refuses him. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_87317385 |
type |
The Jailbait Wait |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_87317385 |
comment |
The Jailbait Wait: When Li'l Bit moves away to college, Peck sends her letters... counting down to when she turns eighteen. She's understandably creeped out. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_87317385 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_87317385 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_87317385 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7 |
type |
Anachronic Order |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7 |
comment |
Anachronic Order: The narrative loosely follows Li'l Bit through her middle school years through her freshman year of college, but it bounces around quite a bit on the way. In the middle of the play there's a scene where a 27-year-old Li'l Bit sleeps with an 18-year-old boy and begins to understand some of the appeal she had for Uncle Peck. And the last scene goes all the way back to the beginning of the story and the first time Uncle Peck molested Li'l Bit, when she was 11. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a5b971c9 |
type |
The Art of Bra Removal |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a5b971c9 |
comment |
The Art of Bra Removal: Li'l Bit is surprised when Uncle Peck manages to unhook and remove her bra with one hand. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a5b971c9 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a5b971c9 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a5b971c9 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a7850fbf |
type |
Only Known by Their Nickname |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a7850fbf |
comment |
Only Known by Their Nickname: We never find out Li'l Bit's real name. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a7850fbf |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a7850fbf |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_a7850fbf |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_c868a42a |
type |
Freudian Excuse |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_c868a42a |
comment |
Freudian Excuse: Hinted at. Li'l Bit guesses that Uncle Peck may himself have been abused as a child, saying near the end, "Who did it to you, Uncle Peck? How old were you? Were you eleven?" There's also a suggestion that Uncle Peck may be a Shell-Shocked Veteran; he refuses to talk about anything he saw or did during World War II except to say that he served in the Pacific Theater. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_c868a42a |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_c868a42a |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_c868a42a |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_d3a4af1e |
type |
Sympathy for the Devil |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_d3a4af1e |
comment |
Sympathy for the Devil: Though immoral behavior is not presented as being moral. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_d3a4af1e |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_d3a4af1e |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_d3a4af1e |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e4d079c1 |
type |
Greek Chorus |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e4d079c1 |
comment |
Greek Chorus: There are three supporting players called in the stage directions "Male Greek Chorus", "Female Greek Chorus", and "Teenaged Greek Chorus". But in fact this is averted, as the Greek Choruses don't comment on the action, but are actually playing all the characters in the play except for Li'l Bit and Uncle Peck. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e4d079c1 |
featureApplicability |
-1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e4d079c1 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e4d079c1 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e68d9ddd |
type |
Not Blood Siblings |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e68d9ddd |
comment |
Not Blood Siblings: Peck married into Li'l Bit's family. But still. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e68d9ddd |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e68d9ddd |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_e68d9ddd |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_f4d61c26 |
type |
Creepy Uncle |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_f4d61c26 |
comment |
Creepy Uncle: The plot hinges on Peck molesting his niece. |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_f4d61c26 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_f4d61c26 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_f4d61c26 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
type |
ItemName |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
comment |
|
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
hasFeature |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
| | How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) / int_name |
itemName |
How I Learned to Drive (Theatre) |
