"Don’t Dress for Dinner" a delicious concoction


Three Stars (good)

Location: Mapleton Hall, 1305 Mapleton Ave. Suffield

Production: By Marc Camoletti. Adapted by Robin Hawdon. Directed by Rayah Martin. Technical direction and lighting design by Jerry Zalewski. Set design by Konrad Rogowski. Sound design by Dana T. Ring. Costumes by Dawn McKay.

Running time: 2 hours, including one intermission.

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through Feb. 23.

Tickets: $15, $13 for seniors and students. Call 800-289-6158 of visit their Web site at www.suffieldplayers.org.

ACTOR...CHARACTER

Robert Lunde...Bernard
Gina Marie Paro...Jacqueline
Christopher Berrien...Robert
Amy Rucci...Suzette
Meagan Kinney...Suzanne
Edwin R. Lewis III...George

(Originally ran in the Journal Inquirer February 2008)

The play "Don’t Dress for Dinner" is like a delicate soufflé - if all the ingredients are not of the best quality and if the timing is off just a smidgen, it would collapse.

Thank goodness for those lucky enough to see this production, this farcical comedy is one delicious concoction of gourmet quality.

What ingredients were needed to cook up this successful production?

First, take one philandering cad of a husband Bernard, played with Jimmy Stewart-like humor by Robert Lunde, and add one sexy wife, Jacqueline, played with style by Gina Marie Paro.

Next mix in a large portion of Bernard’s best friend, Robert, who just happens to be having an affair with Jacqueline, played with terrific dead-pan humor and intelligence a la Cary Grant by Christopher Berrien.

Now quickly stir in a cook-for-hire who through mistaken identity ends up making a small fortune pretending to be Robert’s mistress and then his niece - nicely portrayed by Amy Rucci as Suzette.
Then, for zest, add in Bernard’s mistress, Suzanne, a high fashion model played with panache by Meagan Kinney and at the last minute toss in the cook’s husband George, played with energy and appropriate confusion by Edwin R. Lewis III.

Mix well with superb direction from Rayah Martin and viola! You have one silly, wacky, delicious farce, reminiscent of old screwball comedy films like "Bringing Up Baby," with Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant.

The one set by Konrad Rogowski, is convincing and functional as a former barn converted into a home in France.

The costumes, of which there were a number, were all fine. Particularly outstanding was the cook’s uniform, which was transformed into a dinner dress on stage.

The French rock music played in the background during intermission was energetic and lively enough, but a little too loud.

The entire production was one delightful mind-twisting treat after another.

"Don’t Dress for Dinner" is definitely one scrumptious theatrical entrée worth savoring.