The Cocktail Hour

Dave Costa directs this solid community theater production of A.R. Gurney’s single-set four-character comedy with an eye toward the interesting personalities of a family gathering for cocktails before dinner rather than the humor of the flippant lines Gurney wrote for them. This may well be a good choice as the lines aren’t terribly funny while the people who speak them are distinct and interesting enough to carry the night, especially as performed by this capable cast.

Storyline: A playwright comes to his parent’s home where he and his grown sister join their mother and father for cocktails before dinner. He has written a play that is sufficiently autobiographical that he wants his family’s permission to have it published or performed. After all, his view of their strengths and weaknesses and all of the family’s history would be open to public view. As the "cocktail hour" progresses, the contents of the play he has written titled "The Cocktail Hour" are revealed. From their reactions the playwright learns a great deal more about each member of his family and about himself.

Each character emerges slowly during the conversation over many martinis and Cutty Sarks. Philip Baedecker’s performance as the father gets deeper and more detailed not only in response to the libations but in response to the revelations in the play and the statements of the rest of the family. His is a nicely nuanced portrayal. Lauren Bloom, as the mother, sets up her big revelations of the second act very well by establishing what initially seems a one-dimensional personality, but which deepens into a touching interpretation.

Lisa Forrest is bright and natural to start and becomes feisty and finally touching as the evening progresses. She has some of the smartest witticisms and lands them solidly, getting strong audience laughs without unbalancing the narrative pace that Costa has set up. It is in the performance of the key role of the playwright/son that things seem to bog down a bit. This is doubly unfortunate for this is the biggest part in the show. Jim Williamson is the actor against which all the others have to play and he doesn’t always give them as much support in their scenes as they need.

Moving over from the Thomas Jefferson Theater which is currently under renovation, the Arlington Players perform at Theatre I in the Gunston Arts Center. It is a more intimate space than they are used to but the stage is well used in Arthur Pleasants’ luxuriously colorful set with an effective lighting design by Suzanne Maloney. Carol McCaffrey completes the image with costumes that capture the feel of upper-class solidity. Her gown for Bloom in the mothers’ role is particularly impressive.

Written by A.R. Gurney. Directed by Dave Costa. Design: Arthur Bleasants (set) Carol McCaffrey (costumes) Suzanne Maloney (lights) Dave Costa (sound). Cast Philip Baedecker, Lauren Bloom, Lisa Forrest, Jim Williamson.