Dinner with Friends - A Thought-Provoking Look at Love and Friendship at Bridge Players
by Alex Davis
Having done exactly no Googling prior to walking into the show, I didn’t know what to expect walking into Bridge Player’s production of “Dinner with Friends” this past Friday. What we were presented with was a sad, sometimes funny, difficult look at love, happiness, and partnership through both marriage and friendship.
“Dinner with Friends”, written by Donald Margulies, tells the story of 2 married couples, Gabe (played by Stephen Kreal) and Karen (played by Judi Vitello), and Beth (played by Jamie Lynne Hill) and Tom (played by James K. Perri), and the trials their relationship faces when Beth admits to Gabe and Karen that Tom has asked for a divorce. This dynamic shift forces not only Beth and Tom to reevaluate their places in the world and the sacrifices they have made for each other, but prompts Karen and Gabe to examine their own relationship and their relationships with Beth and Tom.
Keeping a 4-person show interesting is no small feat. Fortunately for audiences, Alice Weber was able to find the right blend of actors to do just that. In the opening scene, Stephen Kreal and Judi Vitello establish a natural quickness with each other, very realistic to a couple married 12+ years. The pair does an excellent job portraying those annoying friends that everyone has - the ones who don’t realize how pretentious they’re being; who describe the smallest details in ways that don’t make sense to anyone but them (like describing a tomato as “buttery”). Judi does a great job throughout her performance, wavering between genuinely concerned for her friend and trying to be supportive and helpful, and hyperfocusing on herself in moments of great stress to pull focus away from the unpleasantness. Stephen offers a great contrast to Judi’s performance, and his portrayal of Gabe feels well-rounded and fully fleshed out. In the moments of tension and stress at the beginning of the show, he artfully scrambles to try and be helpful. After Tom comes to explain his side of the situation, he does a great job of showing that he is trying to be fair and see both sides. He shows that Gabe is a logical, consistent, even keeled person, which makes his outward frustration with Tom feel so strong and important.
Jamie Lynne Hill is outstanding as Beth. In her more heightened and angry moments, you can hear the tension in her voice and see the tension physically in her body. She displays the most noticeable change between the “past” and “present” Beth - as “past” Beth, she flows and bubbles over with joy and sass; as “present” Beth, she shows a character whose light has dimmed a bit. In her post-break-up scene with Karen, she is back to her old effervescent self. The contrast along with Judi and Jamie Lynne’s chemistry throughout the performance make their arguments and tension feel earned. Jimmy Perri is immediately charming and charismatic as Tom. As he mentions in his first scene, Beth has had the upper hand with regards to Karen and Gabe, by telling them her side of their break-up story - the same goes for the audience. Jimmy has a lot to play against at the jump, given that the audience is only familiar with Beth’s side of the story, and he does a wonderful job creating a likable character, leaving audiences curious about his perspective. He fully embodies the character of Tom, giving the audience a real, complex person with legitimate struggles and problems, while also showing all of his flaws - we see he still cares for Beth, but he also lets his resentment towards her peek through. He tells a whole story with his body language.
From a technical aspect, the production works beautifully. The set, designed by Lou DiPilla, is exactly what’s needed for this show - simple but detailed, easily manipulated, and allows the actors to do the work while only adding to their performances. Sound cues are set to play through speakers from either side of the stage, depending on where in the house the noise is coming from, which makes the show all that more immersive. As usual, Bob Beaucheane’s lights are outstanding, adding to the ambiance and reality of the show. Stage manager Regina Deavitt runs an excellent, seamless show. Director Alice Weber and assistant director Jeanne Wayman have built an excellent production, clearly focusing on the little things.
“Dinner with Friends” is a thought-provoking production that deserves high praise for what it is able to accomplish. The show runs through September 21st - tickets can be purchased at: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/BridgePlayers/7570. You still have plenty of time, so don’t miss this one!
