Happy Medium Theatre & Argos Productions Present "Lifers" by John Shea & Maureen Cornell - at The Boston Playwrights' Theatre through April 4

When the folks at Happy Medium Theatre lost their home performance space in the wake of the closing of the Factory Theater, they got creative.  For this season's initial production, "Lifers," they have teamed with Argos Productions and moved their operation across town to Boston Playwrights' Theatre.  In keeping with the theme of this show, I would have to say that Happy Medium pairs well with Argos Productions, for this play is a satisfying meal of good writing and acting that is worthy of a generous tip.

Playwrights John Shea and Maureen Cornell must have spent some time in the kitchens of greasy spoons to get a feel for the frenetic pace and for the down and dirty banter that is on the bill of fare each day for the cook, wait staff and newly promoted manager.  The play is set in 2004 on the eve of the introduction of the smoking ban in the Commonwealth.There is plenty of tension in the air and many changes afoot. Lots of local Boston flavor is served up in this script, with inside jokes about the rich kid from Wellesley coming to work as the newest waiter in a restaurant that is undergoing pretentious upgrades to service the Yuppies that are re-gentrifying the old neighborhood.  The authors have created some stock characters: the randy short-order cook, the "lifer" waitress who has seen it all, the single Mom struggling to balance her job, her kid and her multiple addictions, the new kid on the block and the gay waiter who hopes to get the newbie into the walk-in-fridge.  Oh, and the self-important manager who lets a little power go to her head.  In the hands of a less talented ensemble, there might be the danger of the characters coming across as cartoonish and one-dimensional, but Director Brett Marks does not allow that to happen. I found myself caring about what would happen to each of these characters.

Maureen Adduci as Marie
Mikey DiLoreto as Michael
Lizette Morris as Carla
"Lifers"
Happy Medium Theatre
&
Argos Productions
Boston Playwrights' Theatre
Through April 4

•  Maureen Adduci is very convincing as the jaded and bedraggled Marie, who has been at this job for over 30 years.You can almost smell the stale cigarette smoke in her uniform and feel the fallen arches from three decades of lugging trays of food for regulars like "Captain Jack.".  
• Peter Brown is Doyle, the Southie-accented cook who does not like change, and who insists on screaming out that the orders are "up" - even after the new manager installs a more gentile bell to serve the same purpose. He and Marie clearly have a history that is on again - off again. 
• David D'andrea is Winfield, the recent BU grad who has decided to take a year working in the trenches before heading off to grad school or to work for some noble cause.  His Wellesley-based father, a successful real estate developer, is less than pleased with Winfield's decision to go slumming.  The character and the actor go through a very nice arc from insecure new kid on the block, to frazzled rookie to confident veteran - all in the space of a single year.
• Mikey DiLoreto is Michael, disappointed in love and furious that Sherry got promoted to manager when he felt he had been promised the job by the former owner who had recently died.  Despite his own frustrations, he is a rock for Carla, who is barely holding things together. He makes some life-changing choices as the action of the play develops.
• Lizette Morris is very convincing as the coke-snorting Carla, who just cannot seem to keep it together.  Her rage and frustration often boil over onto Sherry, with whom she attended school back in the day.  Michael and Marie work hard to protect Carla and her job.
• Audrey Sylvia is wonderfully exasperating as the officious Sherry.  She spouts bromides and rah-rah team speak while driving her former compatriots crazy with her changes and pretensions.

Audrey Sylvia as Sherry
David D'Andrea as Winfield
Peter Brown as Doyle
"Lifers"
Happy Medium Theatre
&
Argos Productions
Boston Playwrights' Theatre
Through April 4

All of this action takes place on a marvelously realistic set designed by Marc Ewart.  Combined with lighting by Emily McCourt, we have the feel of a real restaurant kitchen where the new waiter must struggle to learn to "marry the ketchup bottles"!

You have one more week to sample what is on the menu at Boston Playwrights' Theatre.  Click on the link below and order up a couple of tickets, with some bacon on the side.

Argos Productions Website

Enjoy!  And Bon Appetit!

Al