Table Manners is a mix of British courtesy and crass behavior
Being able to go to another city and see what they are doing creatively is beyond a treasure. Seeing show after show in the same city you see a lot of the same performers, same designers, and same directors. And yes, they may be great, and you totally love what they are doing with their talents, but still there is something special about an entire show being new. I had this lovely moment this weekend at Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando, Florida with their production of Table Manners.
Written by Alan Ayckbourn, and directed by Dan Bright, Table Manners focuses on a family, the in-laws, and the strange happenings of love, sex, and interfamilial relationships. Rich in humor and the personality types that bring out the big laughs, as well as the archetypes that are too close to home sometimes. Annie lives at home with her ailing mother. She needs a holiday, some romance, and a whole lot of fun. She has a weekend away planned, her brother, Reg, and sister-in-law, Sarah, come to take care of the house and mother. But Annie’s weekend away isn’t as innocent as they all assume. And after finding out the details everyone spends the weekend together in the childhood home with their other sister, Ruth, her husband Norman, and Tom, the veterinarian who is courting Annie in a very un-courting way.
British accents in Orlando, Florida aren’t really the norm. But this cast pulled it off without a single mishap. There was an instant transformation from the most southern state of the US to the country outside of London. Ame Livingston’s Annie was bright, fresh, impulsive, and almost childlike. Even with the drag of caring for a sick parent and being all on her own, Annie was vibrant, naive, and wishful. Compared to Heather Lea Charles’ Sarah, Annie was a cool, refreshing breeze. Sarah is a proper London lady. She wears matching outfits from head to toe. Her hair is always done up. Even her nightgowns are coordinated and refined. She prides herself in being a wife, mother, homemaker. She’s uptight, unhappy, and really good at faking it. Now if you thought Sarah was bad, then wait till you meet Ruth. Ruth, played by Jamie Middleton, is a career woman only. She’s not a lover, she’s a worker. She cares nothing for her attention starved husband, and wants her work days to be longer. She is wound up tight, but she is a force, a quiet one, but still not one to be doubted.
The men run the same gamut when it comes to stock traits and filling in all the holes of who is needed in the universe to make sure all the bases are covered. There is Sarah’s husband, Annie’s brother, Reg (Thom Mesrobian). He’s lazy, annoyed by his nagging wife, and would rather take a nap and avoid an argument rather than open his eyes and face the issues. On the other hand, there is Norman (Simon Needham), Ruth’s husband, and, well, more than an in-law to others. He’s obnoxious, a womanizer, and in need of so much attention. Essentially he’s a two-year-old. A two-year-old with all the best lines though. Needham’s Norman was that talkative, crude relative you just can’t help but love. Oh, and then there’s Tom, played by Tommy Keesling. He’s simple, sweet, and can talk for hours without ever noticing that no one is listening.
Table Manners was the best introduction I could have asked for to Orlando theatre. Mad Cow Theatre produced one of the most complete theatre experiences I have seen in a while. I have zero flaws to tell you about. No commentary to missed elements or thoughts. It was well rounded. It was solid. And from entrance to exit you could tell you were in the realm of people who love what they do.
For more information on Mad Cow Theatre and their productions, visit madcowtheatre.com.
