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November 19th 2015, 8:00pm
November 20th 2015, 8:00pm
November 21st 2015, 8:00pm
November 22nd 2015, 2:00pm
November 27th 2015, 8:00pm
November 28th 2015, 8:00pm
November 29th 2015, 2:00pm
Dinner With Friends is a marriage between drama and humour.
Love is easy. Marriage is hard. How else can you explain why more than half of all couples who start out saying “I do” end up saying “I don’t anymore”?
Dinner With Friends, the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy/drama by Donald Margulies that opens at the Studio Theatre Nov. 19th, is a thought-provoking, often humorous study of the lives of two couples, and the impact that one couple’s divorce has on their friendship. Divorce is never easy, and the natural reaction of friends, when a union is torn asunder is a sense of sorrow and remorse over the end of a friendship that was based on couple-ness. But often, as the dust settles, the remaining pair begin to wonder about the deeper implications of the break-up: Should they chose sides? Will the divorce of their friends cause them to examine the strength of their own marriage? It’s an all-too-familiar real-life scenario that is fascinating and, yes, entertaining to watch unfold.
Director Jeremy Dutton, a theatre veteran who has helmed many of the Studio Theatre’s most memorable productions, says that just as in reality, the subject is serious, but the treatment is sometimes flippant.
“The dialogue in Dinner With Friends is in the North American vernacular, so the lines roll fast and free. As the playwright examines the situations with the two couples — Tom and Beth, and Gabe and Karen — the one-liners and jokes lighten our load. It is a theatre experience akin to watching television.”
Over the course of the play, we see both couples at different ages and stages of their lives, and we witness the effect that Tom and Beth’s breakup has on Gabe and Karen. To bring these challenging roles to life, Dutton has selected an outstanding cast of Perth’s finest theatre actors, including veterans Hugh McCulloch, Juli Heney, Charles Henderson, and Janice Reid. The show’s Producer is Grace Main, and Susan Bamber handles stage management duties. Set Design and Decor are by C.Lee Bates and Cheryl Matson; Set Construction is by Reiner S. and his crew of talented builders; and Head Costumer is Patricia Parry.
Don’t miss this thought-provoking Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the perils of life and love.
Dinner With Friends premieres on Thursday, November 19th for seven performances, November 19, 20, 21, 27 & 28 at 8 pm, and November 22 & 29 at 2 pm. Tickets are $22 at The Book Nook (cash only) 60 Gore Street E., and online or by phone or credit card at Shadowfax, 67 Foster St. (613-267-6817, shadowfax.on.ca) and Tickets Please, (613-485-6434, ticketsplease.ca) a convenience fee applies. Tickets are $24 at the door, and $10 for students with ID. Visit studiotheatreperth.com for full details. Attend opening night and get $5 off the ticket price!
