New Ground Theatre serves a fine 'Dinner'
By Jeff Dick, ARGUS/DISPATCH -- May 29, 2002

The aptly named New Ground Theatre troupe avoids any sort of sophomore jinx with ``Dinner With Friends,'' its second production, a sometimes humorous drama about the friendship between two married couples.

Winner of the 2000 Pulitzer for best drama, ``Dinner'' is by no means deeply profound, but playwright Donald Margulies does offer keen observations about the often-deceptive appearance and fluctuating nature of relationships.

In the opening scene, Gabe (Pat Flaherty) and Karen (Susan McDonald) are getting ready to host yet another evening of good food and conversation with longtime friends Beth (Lora Adams) and Tom (James Driscoll).

But Beth comes alone because Tom had to go out of town. After showing little interest in her friends' recent trip to Italy, Beth finally reveals that she and Tom are divorcing; moreover, according to her husband, their 12-year-old marriage was a failure from the get-go.

Needless to say, this revelation comes as quite a shock to Gabe and Karen, who manage to offer commiseration -- sometimes with sitcom-like one-liners that come at the expense of the absent Tom.

The beginnings of another rift are developing, however, as Gabe and Karen later find themselves divided in their loyalties along gender lines. Yet both characters' initial sympathies evolve even as their friends' situation ends up making them question their own solid marriage.

An ensuing flashback shows how Tom and Beth were introduced at a Martha's Vineyard getaway, and later scenes find the male and female characters paired, talking about love, sex, friendship and commitment.

Veteran Quad-Cities area actor -- and two-decade Genesius Guild member -- Pat Flaherty nicely captures Gabe's initially conflicted but ultimately resolute feelings. And when the script calls for it, he gives great fluster.

Susan McDonald does a good job showing the judgmental quality of Karen while still managing to keep her sympathetic, and Lora Adams as Beth effectively ranges from brittle vulnerability to newfound strength.

As he proved with his stage debut two years ago in Playcrafters' production of ``The Caine Mutiny,'' James Driscoll invests his characters with real juice. His role as Tom is arguably the trickiest one here -- it's not easy to make a guy who ditches his wife likable -- but he carries it off.

With its occasional strong language and adult situations, ``Dinner With Friends'' is not for children or the easily offended. (The recent made-for-cable-TV adaptation got an R rating.)

Founded this past winter, and kicking off with an unsettling Alzheimer's-themed story, New Ground Theatre continues to break new turf in bringing much-needed contemporary works to the local theater scene.

Its upcoming season, which starts in September, will include ``Spinning Into Butter,'' a scathing look at college campus politics, and ``Wit,'' a powerful story about a woman's battle with cancer.

For now, though, an open invitation to ``Dinner'' remains for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m., plus Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Becherer Hall Auditorium.

Unlike much of the lighter fare playing locally, this show has some meat to it.

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