Warning: spoilers ahead.

On the Geffen Playhouse’s vast stage, “tiny father” struggles with its size.

Directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the dramedy play made its West Coast debut last month in the Geffen’s Gil Cates Theater, where it will run until July 14. With a cast of only two actors, playwright Mike Lew’s story follows Daniel (Maurice Williams), the titular father of a premature infant he is not prepared to raise, and Caroline (Tiffany Villarin), a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. While the production’s extravagantly crafted set makes its hospital environment feel as immersive as ever, disconnected performances and an underdeveloped script ultimately fail to fill the remaining space.

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Audiences first meet Daniel when he is anxiously recapping the unexpected birth of his daughter, Sophia – the result of a “friends with benefits” situationship – on his first night in the NICU. Williams starts the show strong, immediately characterizing Daniel’s startled state with frenzied body language and dynamic comedic timing. Villarin’s opening is weaker in comparison, as her presentation of Caroline’s stern, businesslike attitude causes her lines to sound more rehearsed than authentic. Nonetheless, as the pair’s first conversation reveals that Sophia is expected to stay in the unit for three months, viewers are effectively prepped to follow changes in both characters.

Daniel and Caroline’s three-month journey is confined within the NICU, which makes its set construction more crucial than ever. Fortunately, intelligent work from scenic designer David Meyer and support from UCLA Health pair to ensure an extremely realistic and intricate hospital on stage. The infant’s isolette, featuring functioning doors and an array of connected tubes, is often centered. Surrounding it are drawers of medical equipment and a wall of thank you cards from previous patients that indicate keen attention to detail. When Caroline washes her hands after changing a diaper, the set’s sink even pours real water: a probably nonessential touch but a major contributor to the overall believability.

À la “Hamilton,” a turntable on the stage floor frequently spins throughout the show to both indicate the passage of time and reposition larger set pieces. Backed by cinematic instrumentals and cool lights of blue and pink hues, the periodic rotations assure that even wordless transitions can be entertaining moments for viewers. However, after the first spin brings “tiny father” from Night 1 to Night 2 in the NICU, it becomes evident that stunning visuals aren’t enough to carry the show alone.

On his second night, Daniel enters the unit in shock and distress after learning that Sophia’s mother had died from a hemorrhage just two hours prior. While this news should generate a poignant moment, the scene’s emotional gravity falls flat. Neither actor seems as convincingly sad as the situation would warrant, and it is hard for viewers to feel empathetic without their support when the tragedy strikes so early in the story. Shortly after, when Caroline asks Daniel if the mother was Black, emotions quickly shift to anger in an awkwardly placed – and awkwardly worded – discussion on health care discrimination.

That being said, the death of Sophia’s mom serves as an effective catalyst for Daniel’s character development as the play continuously jumps farther ahead in his time at the NICU. Accepting his responsibility to step up as the infant’s sole parent, he gradually picks up on challenging medical concepts and learns important details to properly care for her, endearingly helping audiences root for his growth. Lew’s nuanced construction of the character ensures Daniel still showcases flaws – such as when he overconfidently messes with equipment – but his mistakes ground the story in truth and make his victories more rewarding.

Caroline is not granted as much characterization as her counterpart, however. She sometimes feels like more of a witness to Daniel’s growth than a motivator, especially since they go about a month without seeing each other when he switches to night shifts at work. Nonetheless, their increasing closeness and vulnerability form the heart of the two-person production. An array of small but sweet moments, such as their frequent gossip about other nurses, shine throughout the play to prove the cruciality of connection in times of uncertainty.

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Despite their enduring friendship, Daniel and Caroline close the play with an unexpected bout of tension. After a jump from 10 to 15 weeks in the NICU, one day before Sophia’s discharge, Daniel suddenly acts cold toward Caroline and reveals he blames her for prolonging Sophia’s stay after she developed an aversion to food a couple weeks prior. The argument does a decent job of displaying Daniel’s newfound paternal protectiveness but is otherwise so disheartening and out-of-nowhere that it only feels unnecessary.

While Daniel leaves the hospital with the same grudge, Lew attempts to make amends with an epilogue in which he sends Caroline a thank you card two years later. Seeing Daniel express both his appreciation for Caroline and love for Sophia within the letter contributes to a more heartwarming conclusion, but it’s difficult to fully forget the way their dynamic was fractured in the preceding scene. Regardless, as the lights fade on Daniel walking toward his toddler, audiences are left to reflect on his wholehearted acceptance of fatherhood, an authentic end to a deeply personal story.

So, although “tiny father” has room to grow, viewers can’t deny the breadth of its heart.