Accent
By Kathleen Allen
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona Published: 01.16.2009
Grab a seat and pull it up to the table for "Dinner With Friends."
The Beowulf Alley Theatre production of the Donald Margulies Pulitzer Prize-winning play is an evening full delectable fare.
Much of that is thanks to a cast that embraces the characters and a director who lets the play breathe.
"Dinner With Friends" is about two couples: Gabe and Karen and their friends Tom and Beth.
Gabe and Karen introduced their friends to each other and pride themselves on a match well made.
But a dozen years later, Tom and Beth split apart, not very amicably. Gabe and Karen are thrown for a loop, take sides and question their own relationship and what marriage means.
Not earthshaking subject matter — plays and movies often cover this territory.
But Margulies does it with such a sharp wit, well-drawn characters and rich dialogue that it feels fresh.
And this production, directed by Susan Arnold to clip along at a contagious rhythm, is rich with laughs balanced by some serious relationship issues.
Art Almquist and Carrie Hill's Gabe and Karen have such a strong rapport, and are so well-rooted in their characters, that they make the snappy dialogue, little glances and constant back and forth seem like the most natural thing in the world.
Watch how they pass a bottle of wine. Or make a bed together. They are two people who revel in their domestic bliss.
Rick Shipman and Rhonda Hallquist's Tom and Beth give such a tension to their relationship that it's difficult at times to watch them.
As this marriage falls apart, so do the friendships. And the reasons they were ever friends in the first place come into question.
Because this solid script has a cast and director who are so invested in the material, don't be surprised if you leave the theater paying a bit more attention to your relationships.
"Dinner With Friends" sneaks up on you, hangs with you for some time and leaves you fully satisfied.
Contact reporter Kathleen Allen at kallen@azstarnet.com or 573-4128.
review
"Dinner With Friends"
• By: Donald Margulies.
• Presented by: Beowulf Alley Theatre.
• Director: Susan Arnold.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 25.
• Where: Beowulf Alley Theatre, 11 S. Sixth Ave.
• Tickets: $20. Discounts available if purchased online, www.beowulfalley.org
• Information: 882-0555 or www.beowulfalley.org
• Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, with one intermission.
