Photo courtesy of The Group Rep
Reviewed by G. Bruce Smith
The Group Rep at Lonny Chapman Theatre
Through Dec. 1
RECOMMENDED
Countless plays, movies and sitcoms about the vicissitudes of romantic relationships have been written and produced, but few are as funny as Michael B. Kaplan’s Four Top, currently receiving its world premiere by GroupRep at Lonny Chapman Theatre.
Four top is a restaurant term that means a table for four, which is where (except for a brief prelude scene)the play opens and we meet the two couples around which the story unfolds. We also meet the Server (Cassidy LeClair), whose unassuming demeanor conceals a wickedly funny prankster.
The two couples are Brian (Jack Menzies) and Megan (Rosie Byrne), and Liz (Jackie Shearn) and Tony (Luke Rampersad). Unbeknownst to Megan and Tony, Liz and Brian have a history, albeit brief and embarrassing for one of them. Brian, something of a neurotic, wants very much to marry Megan, but she’s not keen on it. Tony is a strapping, handsome man whose brain doesn’t quite match his beauty — nor Liz’s wit.
An incident in the restaurant gets the comedic, sometimes farcical, narrative going, and it’s hugely fun to watch the romp unfold. Meanwhile, the Server — a nondescript young woman who hopes to make it as a writer with her self-help book for cats — turns out to be a manipulative little devil whose tricks help bend the story to her will. The Server frequently breaks the fourth wall, an often overused device that can fall flat on stage but works perfectly here.
Throughout, typical rom-com themes are touched on — including fate, vulnerability and, as Liz says, how “to be romantic in a post-romantic age.” Kaplan doesn’t cover any new ground with these themes, but it doesn’t matter because his dialogue sparkles so brightly with wit and humor.
Director Kathleen R. Delaney gets her actors to pump high energy and comedic chops into the action. The cast is terrific, but LeClair arguably steals the show with her deadpan confessions of mischief making. Shearn also deserves a nod for delivering her lines with impeccable comedic timing.
The Group Rep at Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood; Thursdays, 7 pm; Saturdays, 4 pm; and Sundays, 7 pm.; thru Dec. 1 thegrouprep.com. Running time: One hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.
