Julie Pearl and Bruce Nozick (Photo by David Haverty)
The Hudson Mainstage Theatre
Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Through December 31
Whether it’s the holidays or not, getting the family together can be tricky – especially when inlaws are involved. Professional chef Rose (Alli Brown) and her produce distributor boyfriend Julio (Eric Stanton Betts) invite their parents to meet each other for the first time over dinner. Rose’s mom Harmony (Julie Pearl) and Julio’s mom Elena (Michelle Jasso) get along swimmingly, but dads Max (Lindsay Merrithew) and Seth (Bruce Nozick) start feuding even before appetizers are served. In its world premiere production presented by The Complex at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, Matt Chait’s new comedy A Family Business (directed by Brian Schnipper) sparks drama and laughs when big personalities clash but shies away from deeper relational issues.
Unfortunately, the most interesting aspects of these tangled familial relationships are introduced but not fully explored. Julio is shocked and upset to learn that Rose has kept her plans to go into business with Max a secret from him. He even questions if he can build a romantic partnership with her if she embarks on a business partnership with his domineering father. But Julio and Rose never discuss the secrecy between them; this sticky relationship issue (and many others like it) are conveniently brushed over and easily resolved, leaving the show devoid of some much-needed dynamism. Instead, A Family Business focuses on Max and Seth’s individual journeys of building empathy and learning to tolerate each other, in addition to some rather prolonged discussions about the ins and outs of creating new family businesses. But ultimately, the best part of A Family Business isn’t the business – it’s the family.
The Hudson Mainstage Theatre; 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m.; through December 31 (Dark Dec. 22-24). https://www.onstage411.com/newsite/show/play_info.asp?show_id=6389. Running time: 100 minutes with one 10-minute intermission.
