Wendie Malick, Richard Bekins, Bella Heathcote and Jonah Platt (Photo by Jeff Lorch)
Reviewed by Terry Morgan
Geffen Playhouse
Through November 5
RECOMMENDED
Post-pandemic theater, that ever-fabulous invalid, has struggled more than ever to rise from its fainting couch. Many discussions as to the cause of this lingering malaise have been mooted, one of which is that our non-musical theaters might be turning patrons away with a nonstop parade of serious dramas.
As much as I love weighty subject matter, the concept of occasionally producing plays that are simply entertaining to balance out the heavy ones doesn’t offend my critical sensibilities. Along those lines, the excellent new production of Samuel Baum’s The Engagement Party, now at the Geffen Playhouse, is a dark comedy with elements of drama — and it’s very enjoyable, especially if you enjoy watching rich people squabbling and turning on each other (and who doesn’t?).
In 2007 in a penthouse apartment in Manhattan, young couple Katherine (Bella Heathcote) and Josh (Jonah Platt) are having an engagement party with their family and friends. Her parents, Gail (Wendie Malick) and Conrad (Richard Bekins), arrive first, followed by married couple Kai (Brian Lee Huynh) and Hayley (Lauren Worsham) and single professor Alan (Mark Jacobsen). The final arrival is Army vet Johnny (Brian Patrick Murphy), who whose presence somewhat unsettles the proceedings because he’s clearly from a different social class. The true disruption, however, occurs when Katherine’s $300,000 engagement ring goes missing, and the question of whether one of the guests has stolen it begins to dominate the evening.
Heathcote is believable as the kind Katherine, who simply can’t conceive that anyone would pilfer her ring, while Platt is credibly conflicted as Josh, who finds he can very easily suspect his friends to be thieves. Malick brings low-key Southern charm to the role of Gail, and Bekins is quite good as the patrician Conrad. Huynh displays the most energy as the perpetually frustrated and angry Kai; Worsham is good but has the least to do in the play. Jacobsen excels as the defensive Alan, and Murphy is convincingly compassionate and concerned as the working-class Johnny.
Director Darko Tresnjak calibrates the piece precisely on scenic designer Alexander Dodge’s pristine bi-level penthouse — a formal setting that beautifully offsets the chaos among the characters. Baum’s writing is witty (“A rising tide lifts all yachts”) and sharp, but serious intent
is also present. Regardless, entertainment prevails over drama. As revelations arrived, one tumbling after another, the audience I saw the show with was divided between oohs of astonishment and delighted laughs, which is not at all a bad thing.
Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles; Wed.- Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 3 & 8 p.m., Sun. 2 & 7 p.m.; through November 5. https://geffenplayhouse.org. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
