By Dave Begel Contributing Writer Published Feb 04, 2013 at 2:02 PM

The story of relationships and the search for morality in them is as old as time, but it makes for fertile investigation in "Closer" the popular play by Patrick Marber that opens this week at Off The Wall Theatre.

The play, which spawned a good movie starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Natalie Portman, is about flirting and falling in love, either temporarily or for good. The two women in this play seem almost incapable of resisting the childish infatuations of the two men in the play.

The characters in this play have desires and temptations that are going to be familiar to the audience. It's a sexy play with unabashed lust on display. Online sex chat rooms are often used to show both some gender-bending fantasies and some sexual lure into the confusion of temptation that is almost out of control.

Jeremy Weller, who earlier this year directed the exquisite and pulse-pounding version of "Trainspotting" at Off the Wall, again directs a play that is both challenging and mesmerizing.

The play opens Thursday, Feb. 7 and runs through the 17th. Ticket information is available at offthewalltheatre.com.

Dave Begel Contributing Writer

With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.

He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.

This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.

Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.