Don't Dress for Dinner Will Make You Laugh | News, Sports, Jobs

He has another one.

She has another one.

And they are still married! What could go wrong?

It turns out there are a lot of them! Especially when, due to a bunch of bad comic timing, they find themselves under one roof with nothing to help them other than a seemingly endless, ever more chaotic and entirely hilarious supply of evasion and subterfuge.

Millbrook's second offering of the season, “Don't Dress for Dinner,” which runs through July 6, is a fast-paced comedy that will keep you laughing and guessing, as its players – under threat of be revealed – always invent more inventive ways to protest their innocence. By the end of the play, the alibis, accusations, and cover-ups have come to require their own slippery fabrications, so that even one of the characters declares that he has “lost track of the number of lovers.” It's a roller coaster ride, complete with charming comedic touches that you won't want to miss.

Bernard (convincingly played by John Murphy), the mastermind behind this misbegotten weekend, leaves his arrogance behind as he is forced to realize that life has plans other than those he has concocted for his own profit. The other half of this central couple, Jacqueline, is played by Danielle Standifer, who brings a combination of sweetness and righteous anger to the role of the cuckolded wife who happens to be having an affair of her own.

Hold fast ! The plot thickens as the couple is joined not only by Robert, Bernard's best friend and Jacqueline's lover, but also by two women named Suzie! One of the Suzies is Suzanne, Bernard's lover, played with endearing seduction by Jay'na Johnson.

The other Suzie is Suzette, the cook who has been asked to cook dinner and, despite her strong objections, is drawn into the fray. She and Robert are the characters who carry most of the comedic weight. Ren Cementina, as Robert, demonstrates remarkable physical and emotional flexibility as he slips, stomps, rolls, collapses and weaves his way through the intricacies of the evening. It's a pleasure to watch him successfully slip from one trap after another, and his summary, near the end of the play, of the night's forays (with little apron) is an astonishing recitation.

Suzette is played by Kasey Karoll with a metaphorical middle finger salute. She has a pragmatic attitude which allows her, just through her refreshing presence, to question these scandalous actions. The role allows for a kind of big-hearted abandon and Kasey rises to the occasion, clearly enjoying the playfulness and rebelliousness she brings to the role.

And let's not forget George, Suzette's slick-haired Scottish husband, played with fierce wit by Gideon Ethridge, who appears towards the end of the play like a breath of fresh air.

The performance, although fast, is always well paced, thanks to the excellent direction of David Leidholdt, with the help of Timmy Gage and Erika Conklin. Moments of heightened tension are contrasted with moments of comic release, where, for example, we suddenly see Robert pretending to be a hat on a stand or punching an imaginary insect into the woodwork. The interactions between players are also often stylized, with synchronized head or body movements, which allows a certain distanced appreciation of this crazy dance.

I loved how the cast (and production team) seemed to work as a well-oiled ensemble here. Erika Conklin served as both production stage manager (with Kaidlyn Rogers as assistant state director) and lighting and sound designer, Cade Sikora created the set, VC Deener provided props, Michael Schloegl designed costumes and Dan Burke choreographed the fight and intimacy episodes. . Everything from the set design to the closing tangos worked as it should.

Yes, things get heated on stage, but the Poorman Cabaret is wonderfully cool. Get your tickets to “Don’t Dress for Dinner” and beat the summer heat! It's a delicious treat!

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Karen Elias lives in Swissdale. She has taught English for over 30 years, most recently at Lock Haven University and Penn College.