"Cahoots" a night of black comedy at Valley Rep.

Are you ready for a night of black-as-midnight humor? The laughs don’t get any darker than in this play, “Cahoots” where somewhat incongruously, death and murder becomes diabolically funny.
This light, but ultimately satisfying black comedy doesn’t make any grand social statements, and feels a bit like watching a sit-com, which makes sense since the playwright, Rick Johnston, has also written for television.
First produced in England in 1986, the play revolves around four married, successful, yet ultimately discontented New Yorkers — a somewhat mediocre architect, Ken, his dilettante actress wife, Jan, her best friend Lois, a book editor, and Lois’s husband, Al, who is in advertising.
One of the four, Al, whose brother was murdered by a mugger 11 months prior, is obsessed with crime, and breaks into the apartment of Jan and Ken just to show them how lax their security is.
Ken Estvanik plays Al, with over-the-top anger, and a highly amusing demonstration of “defensive walking.”
The dialog is witty and sharp, with many one-liners, as when one of them comments that a mutual acquaintance is “so rich, they don’t have to have antiques.”
The fast-as-lightening repartee was extremely well executed, especially as the play progressed. In the beginning of the play the casual conversations between Jan, played connivingly by Lorrie Bacon, and Lois, played with appropriate and funny stunned hysteria by Lisa Eaton, seemed more forced than organic in feeling, but once they got warmed up, they were great.
Ken, the architect, played by Enrico DiGiacomo, was believable and amusing as the grand schemer, who advised to his fellow conspirators, “stick as close to the truth as possible, it is easier to lie that way.”
Particularly impressive was the scene when all four were sitting at the dinner table and two entirely different conversations were going on contemporaneously — no easy feat that, and it came off seamlessly.
Brendan Albetski, who plays Grant the security-guard-cum-law-school-student, was spot on. A senior in high school, Albetski more than held his own next to the other more seasoned actors.
The Valley Repertory Company, located in the old senior center in the Thompsonville section of Enfield, is a perfect venue for this community theater.
The single set, which is the interior of Ken and Jan’s New York apartment, was spacious, solid and functional.
At times the one-liners and dark humor are so shocking and unexpectedly funny you don’t know whether to laugh out loud or sit there with your mouth agape. “Cahoots” is one terrific night of entertainment that constantly keeps you guessing.

CAHOOTS

Three Stars

Location: Valley Repertory Company, 100 High Street, Enfield

Production: Written by Rick Johnston. Directed by Chris Bushey. Produced by Celeste Estvanik. Set design, lighting design, and technical direction by Eric J. Albetski. Stage manager Melissa Styche. Costumes by Jan Albetski. Lighting and sound by Steven Chaban. Props and set dressing by Nicole Bushey.

Running time: 2 hours, with one intermission

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through Nov. 17.

Tickets: $10 prepaid — $12 at the door. Seniors and youth $8 prepaid — $10 at the door. Call 860-749-4665 or visit their website at www.valleyrep.com

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Ken Estvanik...Al
Lorrie Bacon...Jan
Lisa Eaton...Lois
Enrico DiGiacomo...Ken
Grant...Brendan Albetski