[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of The Goddamn Couple Down the Hall (Oh…., and Merry Christmas!) written by Mark Wilding, directed by Charlie Mount and produced by Garry Kluger and Charlie Mount at Theatre West through December 15.
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas! Even if we haven’t seen Thanksgiving yet! As a Brit myself I always give that one a bit of a miss anyway…bar the food of course. I’m not silly! This holiday play is not exactly all cheer and Christmas spirit though, so be prepared. Although isn’t Christmas usually more something we are trying to survive these days? …so stressful! But, after you see this play you may be happy with your own familiar chaos rather than this particular family’s several layers of hell.
It all starts out simply enough. The soon-to-be-married daughter, Dana, and her painfully precise fiancé, Chad, are preparing a feast for her parents and sister Sydney. Once the parents show up you begin to realize where Dana gets her angst from. When Sydney shows up, late of course, she has in tow her new boyfriend Lance. And wow, more of a contrast to Chad there could never be! Lance is boyish, handsome and Keanu Reaves-y. Chad is like an uptight French waiter. Although, he does appear to love Dana, who appreciates his consistency at least.
Chad and Dana and their overly perfect midcentury modern condo have neighbors that no one would wants. Loud sex, loud arguments and, on the night in question, potential murderers.
And so the scene is set. As the day unravels and old rivalries between the sisters reach apocalyptic proportions, a deathly silence falls from the normally crazy neighbors making them all suspect the worst. The neighbors’ car returning from a store with yards of plastic, tape and rope and a shopping cart doesn’t exactly help their suspicions either.
Who killed who? Are they inventing a more terrible family than their own to make them feel closer to normal? That’s for you to discover I’m afraid. These characters are eerily believable and the performances absolutely wonderful. As usual, Theatre West gives brilliant attention to detail. The set, the sound and the wardrobe are truly phenomenal. All adding to what is a really funny, original and highly enjoyable play.
I can happily enthusiastically recommend The Goddamn Couple Down the Hall (Oh…., and Merry Christmas!). It’s a great way to start off the holiday season and prepare you for this year’s looming, argumentative, stress-filled Christmas. But at least yours hopefully won’t be as dark and food-free as this adorably dysfunctional family’s…unless it’s worse of course. Which we all know from previous experience that it absolutely could be. Bravo to all involved, loved it!
Tickets:
When:
November 8-December 15
Friday and Saturday at 8PM, Sunday at 2PM
Where:
Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W, Los Angeles, CA 90068
The Cast
John Combs, Liv Denevi, Presciliana Esparolini, Sam Gregory, Cecil Jennings, Dave Kumar, Steve Nevil, and Jill Remez.
The Team
Set design: Jeff G. Rack. Lighting design: David Johnson. Sound design: Charlie Mount.