[NEohioPAL]Berko review of CPH's DINNER WITH FRIENDS

[Roy Berko]

DINNER WITH FRIENDS THOUGHT PROVOKING AT CLEVELAND
PLAY HOUSE

	Roy Berko

	(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

	The Times Newspapers

	   Donald Margulies, the author of DINNER WITH
FRIENDS, now receiving its
Ohio premiere at The Cleveland Play House, received a
2000 Pulitzer Prize.  The play
also garnered the American Theatre Critics Association
New Play Award and the
Dramatists Guild Award.  Anyone seeing the play will
understand why.
	   Margulies writes plays that probe how people treat
each other and how we deal
with the inevitable losses in our lives.  In DINNER
WITH FRIENDS he digs deeply into
relationships, families and marriage in his
comedy-tinged drama.  Margulies lays bare
feelings, loyalties, personal values and self
concepts.  This is not a feel-good play, it is a
mind blowing experience.  It would be nearly
impossible for an audience member to
leave the theatre without probing personal
attachments.  
	   DINNER WITH FRIENDS allows us to peek in on the
lives of four long-time friends.  Karen and Gabe are
international food critics.  Beth is an artist who is
married to Tom, a lawyer.   We share an evening when
Beth announces to Karen and Gabe that
Tom is leaving her for another woman.  We later hear
Tom's side of the story.  A flashback scene shares the
first meeting of Tom and Beth at Karen and Gabe's
summer home.  Flashes forward allow us to further
examine the two couple's relationship now that one is
divorced and the other starts to examine their lives
together. 	
	  The CPH production doesn't always live up to the
potential of the script. Director Seth Gordon has
allowed his actors to generally graze the surface of
their roles.  Though this is enough to involve the
audience, as evidenced by the sustained
laughter and curtain call applause, he did not pull
out all the emotional levels of each character.  This
was especially true with Kate Hodge's interpretation
of Beth.  Making her first appearance on a stage,
Hodge displayed mannerisms more appropriate to the
television screen.  Her movements were repetitive, her
character never seemed to feel the pain.  Wayne
Maugans as Tom fared better, but, again, acted out
rather than
reacted to his internal pain, leaving us adrift as to
his real sincerity.  A script line summarizes his
characterization: "Stuff coming out of his mouth is
like bad greeting cards."  
	  Susan Ericksen fairs better as Karen.  
    By far the best performance is that of David
Colacci whose frustrations, feelings and deep hurt and
questioning are clear throughout.
	  Kent Dorsey's set design is outstanding.  Housed on
a turntable, we are exposed
to a kitchen, bedroom, living room, summer house, bar
and another bedroom.  All are realistic and add
dimension to the production.
	  DINNER WITH FRIENDS is an emotional experience.  It
is the kind of play that
stays with a viewer long after the curtain falls. 
It's a wonderful way for the theatre to end what has
been a satisfying season.
	   DINNER WITH FRIENDS  runs through June 2 at the
Cleveland Play House.  Call 216-795-7000 for tickets.

CPH ANNOUNCES 2002-2003 SEASON

	  The Cleveland Play House has announced its new
season.  Included will be LOST HIGHWAY: THE MUSIC AND
LEGEND OF HANK WILLIAMS, a musical based on the life
of one of the country's great musical icons.
	   This will be followed by a world premiere of
BRIGHT IDEAS, a very funny and revealing play
developed at CPH which shows the obsession of some
members of society in the development of false values
as they relate to personal false desires and the
extremes some people will go to fulfill those needs.
	  The oft-performed ON GOLDEN POND, the Pulitzer
Prize winning family drama
by Ernest Thompson, celebrates the precious ties of
family.  
	  PROOF, which is still running to sold-out
performances on Broadway is next.  The 2001 Pulitzer
Prize and Tony Award winning play explores the complex
equations of love, guilt, fear and trust that bind,
and sometimes break up a family.
	    CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY is billed as a
coming-of-age tale seen through the eyes of a 17-year
old girl.
	   Robert Louis-Stevenson's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
has been transposed into movies and a musical.  The
masterpiece about one man's monumental inner struggle
between good and evil will be presented as a stage
production.
	   Mae West is a legend.  She is often called
"America's original blonde bombshell."  Come up and
see her achievements as documented in the much praised
script DIRTY BLONDE.
	   The season concludes with THE UNEXPECTED MAN a
romantic comedy-drama by the author of last season's
CPH wonderfully presented ART.  It examines social
boundaries.
	  An added holiday production will be the
hysterically funny A TUNA CHRISTMAS.  Two actors play
numerous characters as they look at the holiday
traditions of the good folk of Tuna, Texas--the Lone
Star state's third smallest town.
	  For subscription information call 216-795-7000 or
go online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com/playpart/mail/content.asp.

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