, ▁in ▁places ▁it ' s ▁laugh - out - l oud ▁fun ny ; ▁the ▁writing ▁is ▁sharp ▁and ▁novel istic , ▁the ▁characters ▁sk il fully ▁sketch ed . ▁Early ' s ▁quest ▁for ▁journal istic ▁gold ▁( and ▁perhaps , ▁just ▁perhaps , ▁a ▁s liver ▁of ▁re dem ption ) ▁sees ▁him ▁encounter ▁a ▁w ann abe ▁actress ▁whose ▁t ast es ▁in ▁the ▁bed room ▁tend ▁towards ▁the ▁ener get ic , ▁a ▁church - going ▁society ▁wife , ▁a ▁rap ist ▁and ▁an ▁English ▁newspaper ▁editor . ▁ ▁In ▁performance ▁ ▁William st own ▁Theatre ▁Festival , ▁William st own , ▁Massachusetts ▁Campbell ▁Scott ▁performed ▁as ▁August ine ▁Early ▁in ▁The ▁A the ist ▁between ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁– ▁ 6 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁play ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Justin ▁Wald man ▁with ▁sets ▁by ▁Crist ina ▁T odes co ▁and ▁lights ▁by ▁Ben ▁St anton . ▁ ▁Center ▁Stage , ▁New ▁York ▁The ▁A the ist ▁was ▁first ▁performed ▁in ▁December ▁at ▁Center ▁Stage , ▁New ▁York . ▁The ▁protagon ist ▁August ine ▁Early ▁was ▁played ▁by ▁Chris ▁P ine . ▁It ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁David ▁S ull ivan , ▁who ▁also ▁directed ▁the ▁Off - bro ad way ▁The ▁B low in ▁of ▁Ba ile ▁Gall ▁at ▁the ▁Irish ▁Arts ▁Center . ▁ ▁Theatre ▁ 5 0 3 , ▁London ▁ ▁The ▁A the ist ' s ▁European ▁premi ere ▁was ▁at ▁Theatre ▁ 5 0 3 ▁on ▁ 1