Six friends head out of the city on their annual weekend retreat. With no social media, no cell phones, no internet allowed at all, this leaves them with one thing to do… look up from their screens and talk to each other. When the liquor starts flowing and the tongues loosen, no conversation is uneventful and no topic is off-limits. In these polarizing times, what does it mean to come to the table and at what cost? Will it bring us together or reveal how far apart we really are?
At The Table
Critics
LemonMeter
Reviews: 11
Reviews
The bottom line: the entire ensemble does extraordinary work with this play.
Director Judith Moreland, with assistance from Justin Lord and contributions from Nina Sallinen and Dolann Adams as well, navigates the rough waters especially inherent in its most raw moments. She doesn’t shirk the opportunities for laughter, though, that are everywhere apparent. The challenge of orchestrating the rhythms of the play in overlapping conversations and pacing in general registers as a commendable achievement in my book. Likewise, the set design of Brian Graves tastefully fulfills the promise of the script. Well done. - Highly recommended
At the Table takes place in Catskills, a resort area in the low mountains in E New York State that I hold dear to my heart since I spent many summers there — as many Jewish New Yorkers did. The setting is the house of Nate (Christian Prentice), who has invited his thirty-something diverse group of liberal friends (gay, straight, white, black, bisexual, Asian, feminist, child-rearing and childless) for a weekend party, which includes pot and liquor — actually, a lot of liquor.
With no cell phones, computers, or internet, they have no choice but to (gasp) speak to one another. It doesn’t take long for these friends to discover that they are not as liberal or like-minded as they profess to be. The friends are over-educated as well as extremely opinionated and equally insecure.
With friends like these who needs enemies? That would surely be my reaction to spending a weekend in an isolated country house anywhere with people like those that playwright Michael Perlman has populated his play At The Table... The acting is competent under Judith Moreland’s direction but the actors are more points of view rather than flesh and blood characters. Perlman has written speeches rather than dialogue.
The cast works as a seamless ensemble, intricately charting the allegiances and annoyances of the old friends as well as the ways the newcomers affect their all-too-comfortable dynamics. By the play’s end, seismic truths will be told that rock the foundation of their relationships. The fissures are deep and the damage may be irrevocable.
The talented ensemble cast keeps the audience involved – and sometimes guessing. Each character is carefully delineated as they respond to honesty – or is it really honesty? Brian Graves’ scenic design presents a cozy backdrop to the tensions that will erupt, with Derrick McDaniel’s lighting and Chris Moscatiello’s sound right on target. As always, the Road on Lankershim Company has selected a fascinating piece which is guaranteed to captivate audiences and set them to thinking. Even if the chaos onstage is at times disconcerting, the overall effect is worth the effort.
As full of fiery discussion as any contemporary political debate, the timely and thoughtful At the Table blends excellent ensemble acting and meaty subject matter into a gut-punching crowd pleaser. Michael Perlman’s intense play receives its Los Angeles premiere in a powerful production from Road Theatre Company...
Director Judith Moreland smartly displays the relationship power dynamics through spot-on choreography and overlapping dialogue, slowly revealing Lauren’s isolation. She balances passionate, hyperkinetic argument with understated, heartfelt intimacy, successfully blending profane comedy and revealing drama.
The Road Theatre Company has done political theatre right: At the Table is nuanced, character-driven and devoid of self-righteousness...
Rather than a smattering of disconnected political speeches, At the Table is watchable and engaging because of the company’s commitment to searching for a way to love and understand each other.- RECOMMENDED
Brilliantly written with shockingly accurate connections, aggravations and diluted love.
The cast is perfection, all gratuitously affectionate and charmingly fatuous. It reeks of privilege and twisted affectation in glorious coolness and extremely relevant ways. How hard it is to look at oneself sometimes and how absolutely necessary? The cast navigates the boisterous camaraderie and playful banter with expert ease and hilariousness. The tension is palpable and the feeling of being an actual fly on an actual wall very intense. As usual, The Road outdoes itself and I cannot recommend “At The Table” enough.
Director Judith Moreland and her fine actors nail down the laughs and the pathos in Perlman’s meandering, passionate play, which has slice-of-life dialogue that sounds as if it were lifted from a late-night bull session.
The cast of eight perform their parts in a rather rapid pace, sometimes speaking between and on top of each others conversations–a method of communication that actually occurs in so-called “real life” when familiar groups gather to meet, greet, and bicker! This method of dialogue emoted is what makes this play work! One will actually feel much like that “fly on the wall’ to spy upon the deep secrets each one of these folks experience, for their better or for their worse!
In a season that’s already entertained, engaged, and energized audiences with The Rescued, Death House, and Friends With Guns, the Road Theatre Company has saved the season’s all-around best for last. Any passionate lover of L.A. theater will want to reserve a place At The Table.
The bottom line: the entire ensemble does extraordinary work with this play.
Director Judith Moreland, with assistance from Justin Lord and contributions from Nina Sallinen and Dolann Adams as well, navigates the rough waters especially inherent in its most raw moments. She doesn’t shirk the opportunities for laughter, though, that are everywhere apparent. The challenge of orchestrating the rhythms of the play in overlapping conversations and pacing in general registers as a commendable achievement in my book. Likewise, the set design of Brian Graves tastefully fulfills the promise of the script. Well done. - Highly recommended
At the Table takes place in Catskills, a resort area in the low mountains in E New York State that I hold dear to my heart since I spent many summers there — as many Jewish New Yorkers did. The setting is the house of Nate (Christian Prentice), who has invited his thirty-something diverse group of liberal friends (gay, straight, white, black, bisexual, Asian, feminist, child-rearing and childless) for a weekend party, which includes pot and liquor — actually, a lot of liquor.
With no cell phones, computers, or internet, they have no choice but to (gasp) speak to one another. It doesn’t take long for these friends to discover that they are not as liberal or like-minded as they profess to be. The friends are over-educated as well as extremely opinionated and equally insecure.
With friends like these who needs enemies? That would surely be my reaction to spending a weekend in an isolated country house anywhere with people like those that playwright Michael Perlman has populated his play At The Table... The acting is competent under Judith Moreland’s direction but the actors are more points of view rather than flesh and blood characters. Perlman has written speeches rather than dialogue.
The cast works as a seamless ensemble, intricately charting the allegiances and annoyances of the old friends as well as the ways the newcomers affect their all-too-comfortable dynamics. By the play’s end, seismic truths will be told that rock the foundation of their relationships. The fissures are deep and the damage may be irrevocable.
The talented ensemble cast keeps the audience involved – and sometimes guessing. Each character is carefully delineated as they respond to honesty – or is it really honesty? Brian Graves’ scenic design presents a cozy backdrop to the tensions that will erupt, with Derrick McDaniel’s lighting and Chris Moscatiello’s sound right on target. As always, the Road on Lankershim Company has selected a fascinating piece which is guaranteed to captivate audiences and set them to thinking. Even if the chaos onstage is at times disconcerting, the overall effect is worth the effort.
As full of fiery discussion as any contemporary political debate, the timely and thoughtful At the Table blends excellent ensemble acting and meaty subject matter into a gut-punching crowd pleaser. Michael Perlman’s intense play receives its Los Angeles premiere in a powerful production from Road Theatre Company...
Director Judith Moreland smartly displays the relationship power dynamics through spot-on choreography and overlapping dialogue, slowly revealing Lauren’s isolation. She balances passionate, hyperkinetic argument with understated, heartfelt intimacy, successfully blending profane comedy and revealing drama.
The Road Theatre Company has done political theatre right: At the Table is nuanced, character-driven and devoid of self-righteousness...
Rather than a smattering of disconnected political speeches, At the Table is watchable and engaging because of the company’s commitment to searching for a way to love and understand each other.- RECOMMENDED
Brilliantly written with shockingly accurate connections, aggravations and diluted love.
The cast is perfection, all gratuitously affectionate and charmingly fatuous. It reeks of privilege and twisted affectation in glorious coolness and extremely relevant ways. How hard it is to look at oneself sometimes and how absolutely necessary? The cast navigates the boisterous camaraderie and playful banter with expert ease and hilariousness. The tension is palpable and the feeling of being an actual fly on an actual wall very intense. As usual, The Road outdoes itself and I cannot recommend “At The Table” enough.
Director Judith Moreland and her fine actors nail down the laughs and the pathos in Perlman’s meandering, passionate play, which has slice-of-life dialogue that sounds as if it were lifted from a late-night bull session.
The cast of eight perform their parts in a rather rapid pace, sometimes speaking between and on top of each others conversations–a method of communication that actually occurs in so-called “real life” when familiar groups gather to meet, greet, and bicker! This method of dialogue emoted is what makes this play work! One will actually feel much like that “fly on the wall’ to spy upon the deep secrets each one of these folks experience, for their better or for their worse!
In a season that’s already entertained, engaged, and energized audiences with The Rescued, Death House, and Friends With Guns, the Road Theatre Company has saved the season’s all-around best for last. Any passionate lover of L.A. theater will want to reserve a place At The Table.